UMBC vs. JCU

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or John Carroll University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC or JCU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. John Carroll University comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County John Carroll University College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County John Carroll University
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Overview

 UMBC JCU
Location Baltimore, MD University Heights, OH
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 14,148 2,773
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #263 #247
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu jcu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC JCU
Tuition (In State) $9,238 $47,300
Tuition (Out of State) $26,594 $47,300
Room & Board $14,204 $14,160
Avg Net Price $17,704 $30,790
Avg Grant Aid $9,956 $32,359
% Receiving Grant Aid 87% 100%

Admission

 UMBC JCU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,150 4,238
Admitted 9,762 3,437
Acceptance Rate 74.2% 81.1%
Enrolled % 20.3% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.66
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/30 25/30
SAT Range 1220/1410 1190/1350
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 UMBC JCU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Education (9%)

Outcomes

 UMBC JCU
Graduation Rate 57% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $57,600
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $26,939
Median Loan Payment $219 $278

Diversity

 UMBC JCU
% Men 14% 6%
% Women 12% 12%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 44% 86%
% Black 17% 4%
% Hispanic 6% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 1%

Students

 UMBC JCU
% In-State 85% 69%
% Out-of-State 6% 30%

Campus

 UMBC JCU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is larger than than JCU based on total student enrollment (14,148 students vs. 2,773 students)

UMBC vs. JCU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or JCU?

  • John Carroll University is 412% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($47,300.00 vs. $9,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 77.9% higher at JCU than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($47,300.00 vs. $26,594.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than JCU ($17,704 vs. $30,790)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at John Carroll University are 0.3% lower than costs at University of Maryland Baltimore County ($14,160 vs. $14,204)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at John Carroll University than University of Maryland Baltimore County (100% vs. 87%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by John Carroll University students is 225% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($32,359 vs. $9,956)

UMBC vs. JCU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, UMBC or JCU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between JCU or UMBC .

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 82 points higher than at JCU (1127)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at JCU (25)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at JCU (3.66)
  • JCU has a higher acceptance rate (81.1%) than UMBC (74.2%)

UMBC vs. JCU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC or JCU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between JCU and UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at JCU is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (71% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $1,900 more per year than JCU graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $57,600)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $5,742 lower median federal student loan debt than JCU graduates. ($21,197 vs. $26,939)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $59 less per month on federal student loans than JCU graduates. ($219 vs. $278)
  • More JCU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 67%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/