Laurel, Maryland Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Laurel, Maryland: median public in-state tuition $27,592 (+400.6% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $85,035 (+56.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 90.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $18,382 (+38.5% vs U.S.) 433 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Laurel serve students across Maryland with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 2 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 433 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $27,592. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Laurel, Maryland and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Laurel vs Maryland & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel, Maryland | $27,592 | $19,556 | $18,382 | 42.7% | 433 |
| Maryland (state median) | $5,166 | $10,555 | $13,000 | 56.0% | 253,178 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Laurel, Maryland vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel, Maryland | $85,035 | 90.3% | 76.8% | 8.3% | — | 78.6% | 0.24 |
| Maryland (state median) | $61,797 | 86.0% | 78.1% | 4.7% | — | 77.2% | 0.40 |
| United States | $54,384 | 88.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Maryland (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel, Maryland | $27,592 | $19,556 | $18,382 | 42.7% | 433 | $85,035 | 90.3% |
| Baltimore | $13,178 | $16,420 | $19,500 | 53.7% | 56,343 | $61,335 | 84.0% |
| Towson | $11,728 | $24,481 | $15,632 | 69.5% | 16,490 | $64,390 | 88.9% |
| Rockville | $5,394 | $32,449 | $7,958 | N/A | 13,855 | N/A | N/A |
| Salisbury | $7,462 | $17,743 | $16,500 | 68.2% | 8,258 | $61,515 | 92.1% |
| Salisbury | $7,462 | $17,743 | $16,500 | 68.2% | 8,258 | $61,515 | 92.1% |
| Columbia | $4,080 | $22,720 | $10,875 | N/A | 7,907 | N/A | N/A |
| Columbia | $4,080 | $22,720 | $10,875 | N/A | 7,907 | N/A | N/A |
| Columbia | $4,080 | $22,720 | $10,875 | N/A | 7,907 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,969 | $13,271 | 50.3% | 14,468,221 | $54,384 | 88.0% |
Top college in Laurel, Maryland by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $79,606, Capitol Technology University
Capitol Technology University
Top college in Laurel, Maryland by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $297,914, Capitol Technology University
Capitol Technology University
Most affordable college in Laurel, Maryland (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $22,102, Capitol Technology University
Capitol Technology University
In-state tuition: Laurel, Maryland vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Laurel, Maryland median in-state tuition is $27,592, +400.6% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Laurel, Maryland vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Laurel, Maryland is $18,382 (+38.5% vs U.S. median $13,271). Regional median: $13,000.
Median earnings (10 years out): Laurel, Maryland vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Laurel, Maryland center around $85,035 (+56.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Laurel, Maryland vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 90.3% at the median Laurel, Maryland campus (+2.3 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Laurel, Maryland median public in-state tuition is $27,592, about +400.6% vs the national median. Versus the Mid East region, tuition is +273.8%.
Median graduate debt is $18,382 (+38.5% above the U.S. median of $13,271). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Laurel, Maryland are $85,035, about +56.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,384).
The median campus reports 90.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 88.0% (+2.3 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 76.8% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 8.3% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 78.6% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Laurel, Maryland is 42.7% (national institution average about 50.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Laurel?
This city profile covers 2 campuses in Laurel, Maryland with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Laurel?
Median in-state tuition in Laurel is $27,592 and median net price is $19,556. For Maryland overall, medians are $5,166 and $10,555; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,969.
What do graduates earn in Laurel?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Laurel is $85,035 vs $61,797 for Maryland and $54,384 nationally.
What is student debt like for Laurel colleges?
Median completer debt in Laurel is $18,382 vs $13,000 for Maryland and $13,271 nationally.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Laurel?
Among 2 College Scorecard campuses in Laurel, Maryland, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, and none meet our 25% Hispanic-enrollment HSI proxy or report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Maryland college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON