USM Institutions Among Nation's Top 100 Degree Producers for African-American Students

ADELPHI, Md. (July 31, 2008) - Five University System of Maryland institutions--Bowie State University (BSU); Coppin State University (CSU); University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES); and University of Maryland University College (UMUC)--have been ranked in the nation's Top 100 African-American undergraduate degree producers by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. The annual rankings are based on an analysis of data provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

Among the Top 100 degree producers, UMUC ranked 17th, UMCP 24th, BSU 35th, CSU 84th, and UMES 100th nationally in the conferring of baccalaureate degrees to African-American students.

In the subcategory of biological and biomedical sciences, UMCP and University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) shared the 10th spot in the Top 50 African-American undergraduate degree producers. In the subcategory of computer and information sciences, UMUC ranked 2nd, UMBC 11th, BSU 13th, and University of Baltimore 45th out of the nation's Top 50 African-American undergraduate degree producers. UMCP and UMBC were also ranked 11th and 31st respectively among the Top 50 engineering degree producers.

The complete rankings were published in the June 12, 2008 edition of Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

In other national rankings, Salisbury University (SU), UMBC, and UMCP have been recognized among The 368 Best Colleges for 2009 just released by The Princeton Review. UMBC was cited as No. 2 on the Review's Top 5 list of campuses with the most diverse student populations, while UMCP was ranked first nationally in best campus athletic facilities and 6th in best student newspapers.

For more national rankings of USM institutions, click here.

Contact: John Buettner
Phone: 301.445.2719
Email: jbuettner@usmd.edu