2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in Maryland

[Public Health](/majors/health-care-professions/public-health/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 20 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value public health schools.
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2026 Best Value Public Health Schools in Maryland
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the public health degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Public Health Schools
Our analysis ranked Howard Community College the best value for a degree in public health in Maryland. Located in the city of Columbia, Howard Community College is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,599, compared with $10,836 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $18,115. Early-career public health graduates make about $56,172. Set against $18,115 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at Prince Georges Community College, which ranked #2. Prince Georges Community College is a large public school located in the suburb of Largo. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $4,034, compared with $8,762 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $13,949. Public Health graduates of Prince Georges Community College earn a median of $56,960 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Maryland University College earned it the #3 place for public health. University Of Maryland University College is a very large public school located in the suburb of Adelphi. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,136, with out-of-state students paying around $12,336. Public Health graduates carry a median of $23,276 in student loans. Public Health graduates of University Of Maryland University College earn a median of $65,020 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,276 median debt.
Students looking for strong value in public health will find it at University Of Maryland College Park, which ranked #4. University Of Maryland College Park is a very large public school located in the suburb of College Park. Students from in state pay about $11,809 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $41,186. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $23,424. Early-career public health graduates make about $55,440. That is a strong return on a $23,424 median debt. Roughly 45% of applicants are accepted.
Morgan State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Located in the city of Baltimore, Morgan State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,229 in tuition and fees, compared with $19,124 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $30,309 to complete the public health program here. Public Health graduates of Morgan State University earn a median of $58,384 early in their careers. Set against $30,309 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Morgan State University admits about 82% of applicants.
Salisbury University ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value public health schools. Salisbury University is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Salisbury. Students from in state pay about $11,084 in tuition and fees, compared with $22,174 for out-of-state students. Public Health graduates carry a median of $23,545 in student loans. Soon after graduation, public health degree recipients from Salisbury University generally make around $45,476. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.
Towson University landed the #7 spot for public health value this year. 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, compared with $29,820 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for public health graduates is $21,241. Public Health graduates of Towson University earn a median of $50,370 early in their careers. Set against $21,241 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Towson University admits about 82% of applicants.
University Of Baltimore landed the #8 spot for public health value this year. University Of Baltimore is a mid-sized public school located in the city of Baltimore. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,992, compared with $23,984 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $29,681 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $56,837. That is a strong return on a $29,681 median debt. University Of Baltimore admits about 79% of applicants.
Johns Hopkins University placed #9 among the best values for public health. Set in the city of Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $64,730. Students borrow a median of $15,500 to complete the public health program here. Early-career public health graduates make about $66,959. That is a strong return on a $15,500 median debt. Roughly 6% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 20 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.