One of the oldest and most historically relevant cities in the United States, Baltimore is home to 13 colleges and universities, as well as two public community colleges. The mid-Atlantic city has an extensive offering of distance-learning programs for students who prefer to study online. Six of Baltimore's four-year schools are public entities, five of which are part of the University System of Maryland.
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Colleges in Baltimore
Baltimore is home to five of the 12 public institutions that make up the University System of Maryland. In order of enrollment from most students to least, they are:
- Towson University (18,779 undergrad, 3,720 graduate)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (11,170 undergrad, 2,790 graduate)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore (746 undergrad, 5,538 graduate)
- University of Baltimore (3,526 undergrad, 2,992 graduate)
- Coppin State University (2,920 undergrad, 463 graduate)
Baltimore's sixth public university, not part of the University System of Maryland, is Morgan State University. A historically black college, Morgan is designated as Maryland's Public Urban University.
The seven private, nonprofit colleges in Baltimore include the largest higher-education institution in the city, Johns Hopkins University. Here are these colleges in order of enrollment from most students to least:
- Johns Hopkins University (25,376)
- Loyola University (6,748)
- Notre Dame of Maryland University (3,815)
- Stevenson University (3,304)
- Goucher College (3,090)
- Maryland Institute College of Art (2,639)
- Sojourner-Douglass College (2,022)
The Maryland Association of Community Colleges has two campuses located in Baltimore. The larger of the public, two-year colleges is the Community College of Baltimore County, which has more than 35,000 students. Baltimore City Community College serves more than 10,000 students.
BALTIMORE'S FIVE TOP COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
| INSTITUTION | TYPE | TRAINING/DEGREES OFFERED |
| Towson University | Public | 65 undergrad programs, 41 master's programs, four doctoral programs, five certificates of advanced study, 23 post-baccalaureate certificates. |
| Johns Hopkins University | Private (nonprofit) | Schools of arts and sciences, business, education, medicine, nursing, engineering and public health plus the Peabody Institute. |
| Loyola University | Private (nonprofit) | 25 graduate programs, 30 undergrad majors, 40 minors, as well as exchanges in 24 countries. |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore County | Public | Three schools: Erickson School, Graduate School, School of Social Work; three colleges: arts, humanities & social services, engineering and information technology, natural and mathematical sciences. |
| University of Maryland, Baltimore | Public | Schools of dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and social work, and graduate school. |
Online Colleges in Baltimore
Baltimore has an extensive network of distance-learning programs with options at the public community colleges, public universities and private colleges. The Community College of Baltimore County, for example, offers both credit and non-credit courses online. The community college has telecourses that are offered in connection with the online Blackboard network and Maryland Online.
Towson University offers non-credit courses, for-credit courses and certification courses online. BA, MS and MBA courses are all available for distance learners, including the allied health undergraduate program, applied information technology, human resource development, integrated homeland security management and interactive media design.
Loyola University has a vast online-learning network available to both graduate and undergraduate students. With undergrad programs similar to many universities that offer credited and non-credited courses, Loyola stands out with its many graduate distance-learning programs.
Online degrees of potential relevance to the local economy include Ohio Christian University's bachelor's degree program in business with a concentration in logistics management.
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Top Industries, Careers and Employers
More than 21,000 businesses call Baltimore County home. Baltimore's top employers are an eclectic mix of governmental entities, private corporations and higher-learning institutions. This cross-sector diversity is unmatched elsewhere in the state. The following are the largest employers in Baltimore County:
- Social Security Administration (16,000)
- United Parcel Service (UPS) (5,562)
- Greater Baltimore Medical Center (3,695)
- Towson University (3,208)
- Franklin Square Hospital (2,829)
- T. Rowe Price (2,580)
- University of Maryland, Baltimore County (2,188)
- McCormick and Co. Inc. (2,132)
- St. Joseph Medical Center (2,109)
Baltimore's economy is in a state of evolution. The economic engine of Baltimore — an East Coast, Mid-Atlantic port city — was historically rooted in blue-collar industry, as exemplified through the 1980s by Bethlehem Steel. Today, port and manufacturing-related industries still play a major role, but other sectors such as financial services are gaining prominence.
HEALTH CARE
Baltimore County is home to five major hospitals, which are supplemented by several acute-care and long-term care facilities:
- Allegis/Erickson Living
- Genesis Healthcare Greater Baltimore Medical Center
- Medstar Franklin Square Medical Center
- Northwest Hospital
- University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center
- Sheppard Pratt Health System
INFORMATION AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY
From video games to health care technology to logistical IT, the advanced technology and information sectors play a large role in Baltimore's economy. The following are the top industry players in Baltimore County:
- Direct Dimensions
- Edaptive Systems
- Firaxis Games
- General Dynamics Information Technology
- Lockheed Martin
- Mindgrub
- RTGX
- Tessco Technologies
- Zenimax Online
PORT/SHIPPING
With proximity to both heavy rail and deep water, Baltimore still has strong ties to the port/shipping sector. Those jobs, however, are becoming more sophisticated as port and shipping technology advances and evolves. The biggest industry employers are:
- Ace Logistics
- Cowen Trucking
- Evergreen Shipping Agency
- Roadnet Technologies
- Weyerhauser
- Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics
- Windspeed Logistics
MANUFACTURING
From Old Bay Seasoning to Olay beauty products, the “Made in Baltimore County” stamp is found on an array of products across many sectors. Among Baltimore's top manufacturers are:
- BD Diagnostic Systems
- GM Baltimore Operations
- McCormick and Company
- Middle River Aircraft Systems
- Procter and Gamble Beauty
- Saft America
The diverse sectors of the evolving Baltimore economy often call for an advanced education, whether in logistics, computing, business or health care.
Colleges & Universities in Baltimore
COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES IN BALTIMORE
| COLLEGE | SIZE | TUITION | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johns Hopkins University | 25,376 | $42,280 | Not For Profit (Private) |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County | 14,756 | $6,879 | Public |
| Morgan State University | 8,761 | $4,540 | Public |
| University of Baltimore | 7,581 | $5,700 | Public |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore | 7,025 | $7,297 | Public |
| Loyola University Maryland | 6,748 | $39,470 | Not For Profit (Private) |
| Coppin State University | 4,760 | $3,742 | Public |
| Notre Dame of Maryland University | 3,815 | $28,700 | Not For Profit (Private) |
| Goucher College | 3,090 | $36,012 | Not For Profit (Private) |
| Maryland Institute College of Art | 2,639 | $36,170 | Not For Profit (Private) |
| Sojourner-Douglass College | 2,022 | $7,720 | Not For Profit (Private) |
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS IN BALTIMORE
| COLLEGE | SIZE | TUITION | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Community College of Baltimore County | 35,498 | $4,704 | Public |
| Baltimore City Community College | 10,373 | $2,640 | Public |