Best Computer Programmer programs in Maryland, ranked by enrollment
Create, modify, and test the code and scripts that allow computer applications to run. Work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals.
29 schools in Maryland run programs that feed this job, graduating 3,216 people a year. The job pays a median of $125,570 in Maryland across about 2,490 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Maryland that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
10 programs in Maryland that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Maryland (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Maryland page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 11.0701In Maryland → | 2,598 | 80.8% | 16 | $70,374 | $23,250 |
| 2 | CIP 52.1201In Maryland → | 439 | 13.7% | 8 | $59,352 | $24,618 |
| 3 | CIP 30.7101In Maryland → | 89 | 2.8% | 4 | — | — |
| 4 | CIP 11.0804In Maryland → | 33 | 1.0% | 1 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 5 | Computer Programming/Programmer, Generalmain feeder CIP 11.0201In Maryland → | 18 | 0.6% | 6 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 6 | CIP 11.0902In Maryland → | 17 | 0.5% | 4 | $43,901 | $22,822 |
| 7 | Computer Programming, Specific Applicationsmain feeder CIP 11.0202In Maryland → | 13 | 0.4% | 3 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 8 | CIP 11.0803In Maryland → | 6 | 0.2% | 1 | $33,504 | $27,000 |
| 9 | CIP 11.0203In Maryland → | 2 | 0.1% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
| 10 | Computer Game Programmingmain feeder CIP 11.0204In Maryland → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $46,719 | $20,729 |
Top 25 schools in Maryland
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 7 of the 29 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 1,393 | Computer Science | $99,756 | 89% | — | 45% |
| 2 | University of Maryland Global Campus Adelphi, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 735 | Computer Science | — | 33% | — | — |
| 3 | University of Maryland - Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 414 | Computer Science | $83,684 | 70% | — | 72% |
| 4 | Towson University Towson, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 197 | Computer Science | $71,795 | 69% | — | 82% |
| 5 | Community College of Baltimore County Baltimore, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 69 | Management Information Systems, General | $30,550 | 19% | — | — |
| 6 | Howard Community College Columbia, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 55 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 24% | — | — |
| 7 | Allegany College of Maryland Cumberland, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 38 | Management Information Systems, General | $29,828 | 40% | — | — |
| 8 | Frostburg State University Frostburg, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 38 | Computer Science | $54,349 | 50% | — | 89% |
| 9 | Hood College Frederick, MD Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 36 | Computer Science | — | 57% | $23,244 | 78% |
| 10 | United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Computer Science | — | 93% | — | 9% |
| 11 | Morgan State University Baltimore, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 28 | Computer Science | — | 41% | — | 82% |
| 12 | Harford Community College Bel Air, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 26 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 13 | Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 22 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 31% | — | — |
| 14 | Hagerstown Community College Hagerstown, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 15 | Loyola University Maryland Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 17 | Computer Science | $61,017 | 79% | $26,585 | 75% |
| 16 | Chesapeake College Wye Mills, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 14 | Computer Science | — | 35% | — | — |
| 17 | Carroll Community College Westminster, MD Public · 2 feeder programs | 13 | Management Information Systems, General | — | 39% | — | — |
| 18 | Prince George's Community College Largo, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 13 | Computer Programming, Specific Applications | — | 18% | — | — |
| 19 | Women's Institute of Torah Seminary and College Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Computer Science | — | 100% | $11,881 | 98% |
| 20 | Capitol Technology University Laurel, MD Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 10 | Computer Science | — | 43% | $27,179 | 74% |
| 21 | College of Southern Maryland La Plata, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 33% | — | — |
| 22 | Frederick Community College Frederick, MD Public · 3 feeder programs | 6 | Computer Programming/Programmer, General | — | 37% | — | — |
| 23 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 6 | Computer Science | — | 94% | $11,888 | 6% |
| 24 | Washington College Chestertown, MD Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 5 | Computer Science | — | 65% | $24,973 | 57% |
| 25 | Coppin State University Baltimore, MD Public · 1 feeder programs | 4 | Computer Science | — | 26% | — | 46% |
All 29 schools in Maryland
Every school in Maryland with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland - College Park | College Park | Public | 1,393 | 3 |
| University of Maryland Global Campus | Adelphi | Public | 735 | 3 |
| University of Maryland - Baltimore County | Baltimore | Public | 414 | 1 |
| Towson University | Towson | Public | 197 | 1 |
| Community College of Baltimore County | Baltimore | Public | 69 | 2 |
| Howard Community College | Columbia | Public | 55 | 2 |
| Allegany College of Maryland | Cumberland | Public | 38 | 2 |
| Frostburg State University | Frostburg | Public | 38 | 1 |
| Hood College | Frederick | Private not-for-profit | 36 | 1 |
| United States Naval Academy | Annapolis | Public | 35 | 1 |
| Morgan State University | Baltimore | Public | 28 | 2 |
| Harford Community College | Bel Air | Public | 26 | 2 |
| Anne Arundel Community College | Arnold | Public | 22 | 2 |
| Hagerstown Community College | Hagerstown | Public | 17 | 1 |
| Loyola University Maryland | Baltimore | Private not-for-profit | 17 | 1 |
What computer programmers earn in Maryland
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $100,390. Maryland pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Maryland employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Maryland
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Computer Programmers page.
How to become a Computer Programmer
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Maryland
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 17 majors mapped to Computer Programmers17 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 11.0201Computer Programming/Programmer, General
- 11.0202Computer Programming, Specific Applications
- 11.0203Computer Programming, Vendor/Product Certification
- 11.0204Computer Game Programming
- 11.0205Computer Programming, Specific Platforms
- 11.0299Computer Programming, Other
- 11.0701Computer Science
- 11.0803Computer Graphics
- 11.0804Modeling, Virtual Environments and Simulation
- 11.0902Cloud Computing
- 15.1204Computer Software Technology/Technician
- 30.3001Computational Science
- 30.7101Data Analytics, General
- 30.7103Data Visualization
- 30.7199Data Analytics, Other
- 51.0709Medical Office Computer Specialist/Assistant
- 52.1201Management Information Systems, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing computer programmers programs in Maryland.
What degree do you need to become a Computer Programmer?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Computer Science, which awarded 2,598 degrees in Maryland in 2024-25, 80.8% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Computer Programmer?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 10 programs to this occupation. The largest are Computer Science, Management Information Systems and Services, Data Analytics, Computer Software and Media Applications, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 3,216 people a year in Maryland.
How much do computer programmers earn in Maryland?+
The median is $125,570 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 25.1% above the U.S. median of $100,390. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for computer programmers growing?+
BLS projects a -6.0% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, decline, with roughly 5,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Maryland?+
29 institutions in Maryland reported graduates from at least one of the 10 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do computer programmers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Programmer, Analyst Programmer, Programmer Analyst, Computer Programmer among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 15-1251.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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