| Updated On - Sep 17, 2025
University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) is a public research university located in College Park, Maryland, in a suburban area outside of Washington, D.C. It is a large school with around 30,000 undergraduate students. Admissions are competitive with an acceptance rate of around 45%. Some of the most popular majors are Computer and Information Sciences, Business, Engineering, Social Sciences, and Biology. The six-year graduation rate is roughly 88%, and UMD graduates have a median salary of roughly US$68,300 ten years after matriculation.
Rutgers University–New Brunswick is a public research university located in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in an urban/suburban environment. It is a large school with roughly 36,600 undergraduate students (and ~ 50,600 students total). Admissions is relatively selective, with an overall acceptance rate of around 65% over recent years. The most sought-after majors are Computer and Information Sciences, Psychology, Finance, Biology, and Nursing. The six-year graduation rate is around 84-85%, and the median earnings of Rutgers graduates ten years after matriculation is around US$74,500.
| Rutgers University - New Jersey | University of Maryland | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 5.3 Out of 10 | 5.9 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 301 Times Higher Education 2026 # 328 QS World University 2026 # 301 Times Higher Education 2025 | # 116 Times Higher Education 2026 # 207 QS World University 2026 # 92 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 72 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 301 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 351 for Law by QS World University 2025 | # 18 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 51 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 201 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -146 PG Programs -99 Doctorate Programs -10 | UG Programs -81 PG Programs -88 Doctorate Programs -3 |
| Acceptance Rate | 65.0 % | 34.3 % |
| Exam Score | IELTS-6 SAT-1190 TOEFL-85 | GMAT-600 IELTS-7 SAT-1280 TOEFL-80 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 14506 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 15072 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 33851 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 36891 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 19500 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 19326 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Average annual salary is 72,000 USD. Popular recruiters are Johnson & Johnson, Lockheed Martin Corp, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Highest paying degrees include MBA (145,000 USD); Masters (120,000 USD); Bachelor of Science (101,000 USD); Master of Science (100,000 USD). | University of Maryland, College Park is one of the top public universities in College Park, United States. It is ranked #=164 in QS World University Rankings Average Salaries Are Listed Below:
|
| application requirements | Academic transcripts; LORs; Essays; Test Scores; English proficiency scores; Resume.GPA requirements are around 3.73 for students (Grade- A-B+). | 2 LORs, activities and awards list along with resume are also required for UG students as well, submit essay prompts, auditions for some programs like music, etc. |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Rutgers Business School | Robert H. Smith School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 8.5/10 Read 6 reviews | 7.8/10 Read 23 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 53 for Business by US News 2025 # 251 for Business by QS World University 2025 # 401 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 | # 52 for Business by US News 2025 # 87 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 125 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 125/160IELTS - 6.5/9PTE - 68/75TOEFL - 90/120 | GMAT - 640/800GRE - 320/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 68/90TOEFL - 96/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -58239 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | May 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For ROUND 4 2025 intake) Nov 15, 2025 (Application Deadline For ROUND 1 2026 intake) Jan 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For ROUND 2 2026 intake) Mar 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For ROUND 3 2026 intake) May 15, 2026 (Application Deadline For ROUND 4 2026 intake) | Oct 1, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Nov 1, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Dec 15, 2025 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 13, 2026 (Final Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | Rutgers University - New Jersey | University of Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1766 | 1856 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 13:1 | 17:1 |
| Male:Female | 50% Male, 50% Female | 53% Male, 47% Female |
| Location Facts | Oldest of the 3 RU campuses spread across 6 municipalities in Middlesex County; located in New Brunswick and Piscataway; Consists of 2,685 acres of 5 campuses- Busch, Cook, College Avenue, Livingston, Douglass. Located on both sides of Raritan River; offers convenient access to New York City and Philadelphia | The suburban college is located in a designated area “college park” Maryland. The other campus is located in Baltimore. There is an urban forest located on-campus. The campus lies near to the transit center which makes it accessible. |
| Library | Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) system has 26 libraries, centers and reading rooms housing 5,579,900 total print and electronic volumes. 2,648,964 In-Person Visits; 3,273,398 Online Visits; 159,368 Print Circulations; 10 million+ Circulation of Online Resources; 3,111,380 Ebook Downloads; 111,781 Video Streams. | Overall 4 million titles in collection, comprising- print books collection (2,016,845); e-books (6,305,045); ejournals (501,554); print journals (60,900); streaming media titles (308,256), films & videos (35,089); audio files (46,796). The total collection with other libraries is over 100,000. |
| Campus Life | 6 student centers, and 4 recreation centers; second-largest bus fleet in New Jersey; SHI Stadium; Louis Bow Athletic Center; Rutgers Ecological Preserve; Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum; RU Geology Museum; Rutgers Garden. You can indulge in a total of 750 student organizations and 100+ intramural teams and sports clubs. 4 student dining halls are available on-campus. | Over 800 student clubs and organizations offering you an option to indulge in arts, music, theatre, and more. The university has two main dining halls for you to enjoy a hearty meal. The college also has intramural & sports clubs and division I teams. You can indulge in fraternities, sororities, community services, and civic engagement. |
| Hostel | #On campus - $12452 #Off campus (not with family) - $18386 #Off campus (with family) - $3013 | #Room & Board - $10112 #Room & Board - $9214 |
| Famous Alumni | Over 500,000 alumni worldwide. Louis J. Freeh (Former Director FBI); Keith Sonnier (Artist); Betty Shannon (Mathematician); Gus Edwards (American Footballer); Charles Henry Selick (American Director); Duron Harmon (American Football safety); Selman Abraham Waksman (Inventor- discovered streptomycin) | Carl Bernstein (journalist), Larry David (comedian), Sergey Brin (computer engineer & Co-founder Google), Kevin Plank (businessman), Carly Fiorina (businesswoman), Boomer Esiason (football quarterback), David Simon (author), Steny Hoyer (US representative), Judith Resnik (engineer), Len Bias (basketball player), etc. |
| City Life | New Brunswick is the county seat of Middlesex County situated along the Raritan River; Johnson and Johnson’s worldwide headquarter is located here; Economy is majorly dependant on forestry, mining and finishing; Other major industries are tourism, agriculture, and small-scale manufacturing industries; Unemployment rate was 2.5% in April 2019 | College Park in Prince George’s County is located on the Northeast border of Washington. It is home to National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, US National Archives, and National Archives. It shares its neighborhood with Lakeland, Hollywood, Calvert Hills, and Cherry Hills. There are three museums to explore in the city and various historic sites. |
| Weather |
University of Maryland, College Park vs Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
UMD and Rutgers are both highly ranked public research universities with excellent national and international reputation. UMD is usually ranked higher in engineering, computer science, public policy, and biological sciences; Rutgers competes in life sciences, business, pharmacy, and certain social sciences. UMD enjoys being close to federal agencies and technological opportunities close to Washington, D.C., which benefits its research funding and impact. Rutgers, being in New Jersey near Philadelphia and New York, similarly possesses powerful research and industry relationships.
General Information
Rutgers (New Brunswick) is larger in total, with overall student body ~ 50,600, whereas UMD's total student population is ~ 40,000. UMD has ~ 30,000 undergrads; Rutgers ~ 36,600 undergrads. Both have big numbers of undergraduate and graduate schools, robust STEM choices, arts and social science, etc. UMD leans more toward STEM, policy, and government-related areas; Rutgers also has strong health, life sciences, business, and liberal arts strength.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
UMD is roughly 45% acceptance, which is more selective. Rutgers New Brunswick's newer data is roughly 65% acceptance, slightly higher than you had said (~ 35%). UMD's admitted students typically have higher standardized test scores and GPA statistics. Both institutions are test-optional in most situations, although UMD has higher standards for academic credentials.
Research Impact & Facilities
Both universities are ranked as R1 research universities with extremely high research activity. UMD has significant research particularly in engineering, computer science, biological sciences, public policy, and climate / earth sciences; it has robust research facilities and labs, and heavy federal funding. Rutgers also has significant research capability in biomedical sciences, pharmacy, environmental sciences, agriculture, etc., and numerous specialized research centers. Rutgers' urban location provides it access to hospitals, corporate collaborations, etc.
Cost & Financial Aid
The net cost and financial aid packages vary. Rutgers' average net cost (after aid and grants) is roughly US$19,000 for undergrads (more affordable than most private institutions). UMD's average cost after financial aid is somewhat higher but remains competitive with other public institutions. Out-of-state fees, room, board, etc. are high at both; in-state students at both have much lower expenses than out-of-state.
Career Outcomes & Alumni Success
Both institutions have excellent outcomes. UMD graduates, a decade after enrolling, have median earnings ~$ 68,300, indicating excellent long-term outcomes. Rutgers graduates have median earnings ~$ 74,500 a decade after enrolling, above many of its comparators. Six-year graduation rates are high: ~ 88% for UMD and ~ 84-85% for Rutgers. Alumni networks are large and influential at both. UMD has strong presence in tech, gov't, engineering; Rutgers also in biotech, finance, health professions, etc.
