UMBC vs. TU

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or Towson University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC or TU 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. Towson University comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County Towson University College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County Towson University
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Overview

 UMBC TU
Location Baltimore, MD Towson, MD
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 13,991 19,793
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #445
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu towson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC TU
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $7,238
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $23,240
Room & Board $13,378 $13,642
Avg Net Price $17,692 $14,443
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $11,415
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 74%

Admission

 UMBC TU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 17,770
Admitted 9,291 13,967
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 78.6%
Enrolled % 23.1% 19.1%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.69
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 19/25
SAT Range 1210/1390 1010/1230
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, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

 UMBC TU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)

Outcomes

 UMBC TU
Graduation Rate 57% 64%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $53,500
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $17,750
Median Loan Payment $219 $183

Diversity

 UMBC TU
% Men 53% 39%
% Women 47% 61%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 44% 61%
% Black 17% 18%
% Hispanic 6% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 2%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

 UMBC TU
% In-State 90% 89%
% Out-of-State 5% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Towson University is larger than than UMBC based on total student enrollment (19,793 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. TU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or TU?

  • University of Maryland Baltimore County is 25.1% more expensive to attend than TU for in-state tuition ($9,056.00 vs. $7,238.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11.1% higher at UMBC than Towson University ($25,820.00 vs. $23,240.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Towson University than UMBC ($14,443 vs. $17,692)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 2% lower than costs at Towson University ($13,378 vs. $13,642)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Towson University (92% vs. 74%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Towson University students is 28.4% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($11,415 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. TU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Maryland Baltimore County (1209) is 128 points higher than at TU (1081)
  • Incoming UMBC students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at TU (23)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.28 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at TU (3.69)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than TU (78.6%)

UMBC vs. TU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC or TU? 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 TU and UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at TU is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (64% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Maryland Baltimore County earn on average $6,000 more per year than TU graduates after ten years. ($59,500 vs. $53,500)
  • Towson University students graduate with a $3,447 lower median federal student loan debt than UMBC graduates. ($17,750 vs. $21,197)
  • TU graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than UMBC graduates. ($183 vs. $219)
  • More TU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 67%)

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