Page 20 - Baltimore County 2023 Quality of Life Guide & Business Directory

QUALITY OF LIFE: EDUCATION
GROWTH INDUSTRY
UMBC / Photos by Marlayna Demond
WORLD-CLASS EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS AWAIT
With over 24,000 public and private education workers in Baltimore County, the county accounts for 17% of Maryland’s employment in the industry. Baltimore County Public Schools is the third-largest school district in Maryland, employing nearly 10,000 teachers and more than 18,000 people altogether. The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and Towson University are both highly respected research institutions.
Considering those tremendous educational resources, it’s no wonder that Baltimore County’s population is highly educated: according to the most recent census data, 40.4% of residents have a college degree, compared to the national average of 37.7%.
Colleges and Universities
UMBC has emerged in recent years as one of the finest public research universities. Innovative teaching, interdisciplinary research and civic engagement are among its defining features. In 2022, U.S. News & World Report named UMBC #6 on its Most Innovative Universities list, just ahead of Stanford University, and the university is among the top 100 institutions for federal research funding. While other universities struggle with enrollment, UMBC welcomed its largest ever freshman class in 2022.
With more than 100 undergraduate,
18 Quality of Life Guide and Business Directory
graduate and certificate programs, Towson University is the Baltimore area’s biggest university and a great fit
for just about any burgeoning academic. The College of Education is renowned for its 150-year tradition of producing highly qualified teachers. The Center for World University Rankings has named Towson
in the top 9% of universities worldwide. The area surrounding Towson was recently named a RISE Zone by the State of Maryland, a designation that confers rental assistance to businesses and tax benefits to investors.
More than 54,000 students enroll at the
Community College of Baltimore County every year, and CCBC has
won the Maryland Daily Record’s Best Community College award for several years in a row now. CCBC has six convenient locations throughout the county, as well
as online course formats and flexible scheduling options. CCBC graduates can
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
take advantage of tremendous tuition savings and guaranteed credit transfer at all schools in the University of Maryland system. In addition, CCBC is an excellent option for workers looking to enhance their professional skills. After all, it has more than 275 associate degree and certificate programs to choose from — the most of any college in the region.
Goucher College is consistently rated a “Best Buy” in the Fiske Guide to Colleges for its outstanding combination of academics and affordability. The average financial aid award for undergraduates is nearly $40,000, and all applying students are automatically considered for merit scholarships.
With two campuses in Stevenson and Owings Mills, Stevenson University
is easily accessible. Graduates from the university’s School of Education and School of Nursing and Health Professions boast a job placement rate above 90%.