2026 Best Value English Schools in Maryland

[English](/majors/english-language-literature/general-english-language-literature/english/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong english education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 24 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for english students.
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2026 Best Value English Schools in Maryland
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in english, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value English Schools
University Of Maryland University College tops our 2026 list of the best value english schools in Maryland. Set in the suburb of Adelphi, University Of Maryland University College is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $8,136 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $12,336. Typical student debt for english graduates is $24,062. Early-career english graduates make about $35,630. Set against $24,062 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
University Of Maryland College Park is a great value for students pursuing a degree in english, landing the #2 spot this year. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,809, compared with $41,186 for out-of-state students. English graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. English graduates of University Of Maryland College Park earn a median of $36,561 early in their careers. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 45%.
Salisbury University came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value english schools. Set in the suburb of Salisbury, Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,084, with out-of-state students paying around $22,174. Typical student debt for english graduates is $21,875. English graduates of Salisbury University earn a median of $35,283 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,875 median debt. Salisbury University admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in english will find it at Towson University, which ranked #4. Towson University is a very large public school located in the city of Towson. Students from in state pay about $11,728 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $29,820. English graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. English graduates of Towson University earn a median of $39,250 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Towson University admits about 82% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maryland Baltimore County earned it the #5 place for english. Set in the suburb of Baltimore, University Of Maryland Baltimore County is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $13,256, with out-of-state students paying around $31,225. English graduates carry a median of $19,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, english degree recipients from University Of Maryland Baltimore County generally make around $27,547. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
St Marys College Of Maryland placed #6 among the best values for english. Set in the rural area of St. Mary's City, St Marys College Of Maryland is a small public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,298, with out-of-state students paying around $31,374. Students borrow a median of $21,552 to complete the english program here. English graduates of St Marys College Of Maryland earn a median of $30,025 early in their careers. Set against $21,552 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. St Marys College Of Maryland admits about 69% of applicants.
Mcdaniel College placed #7 among the best values for english. Mcdaniel College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the town of Westminster. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $52,081. Students borrow a median of $22,250 to complete the english program here. English graduates of Mcdaniel College earn a median of $35,793 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Hood College ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best value english schools. Hood College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Frederick. Students from in state pay about $47,700 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for english graduates is $24,703. Early-career english graduates make about $59,332. Set against $24,703 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Hood College admits about 78% of applicants.
Mount St Marys University ranked #9 on our 2026 list of the best value english schools. Located in the rural area of Emmitsburg, Mount St Marys University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $48,630 in tuition and fees. English graduates carry a median of $23,539 in student loans. English graduates of Mount St Marys University earn a median of $50,657 early in their careers. Set against $23,539 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 74% of applicants are accepted.
Stevenson University ranked #10 on our 2026 list of the best value english schools. Located in the suburb of Owings Mills, Stevenson University is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $40,560. Students borrow a median of $27,042 to complete the english program here. English graduates of Stevenson University earn a median of $50,346 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,042 median debt. The acceptance rate is 79%.
Washington College came in at #11 for value in english this year. Located in the town of Chestertown, Washington College is a small private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $55,081. English graduates carry a median of $26,955 in student loans. Early-career english graduates make about $37,940. That is a strong return on a $26,955 median debt. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Loyola University Baltimore earned the #12 position for value in english this year. Located in the city of Baltimore, Loyola University Baltimore is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $57,150 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the english program here. Early-career english graduates make about $30,949. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 24 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.