The University of Maryland’s growing investment in high-impact research has earned it a place among the nation’s elite research institutions, according to the latest Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey released by the National Science Foundation.
In the 2024 rankings, the University of Maryland research enterprise placed No. 14 overall among all U.S. institutions and No. 9 among public universities, climbing from No. 18 overall and No. 11 among public institutions just one year ago. The ranking reflects a record-breaking $1.5 billion in combined research expenditures, representing an increase of more than $154 million from fiscal year 2023.
The HERD survey links University of Maryland, Baltimore and University of Maryland, College Park as a single research enterprise, recognizing the two institutions’ deep and long-standing collaboration. Together, they form one of the most productive R1 (Carnegie Classification) research partnerships in the country.
Research with Real-World Impact
University leaders emphasized that the rankings are not just a measure of dollars spent, but of lives improved through discovery and innovation.
Bruce Jarrell, president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore, said the achievement reflects the collective impact of researchers working across disciplines to address pressing global challenges. He noted that the ranking underscores the critical role public universities play in advancing health, well-being, and opportunity in Maryland and beyond.
Darryll J. Pines, president of the University of Maryland, College Park, echoed that sentiment, highlighting the power of collaboration between the two campuses. By combining College Park’s strengths in engineering, science, and technology with Baltimore’s expertise in medicine, health, and human services, the partnership accelerates the translation of research into patient care and community benefit.
A Strategic Partnership Driving Growth
The momentum behind the rankings is rooted in the University of Maryland Strategic Partnership Act of 2016, which formalized collaboration between the two campuses under the MPowering the State (MPower) initiative. Through MPower, faculty and students collaborate in joint research centers that span emerging and interdisciplinary fields, including blended reality, health computing, and biomedical imaging.
That partnership expanded further in January 2025 with the launch of the Edward & Jennifer St. John Center for Translational Engineering and Medicine, located in the University of Maryland BioPark in Baltimore. The state-of-the-art center is designed to ensure that real-world clinical needs guide the development of new medical devices, diagnostics, and treatments—shortening the path from discovery to patient care.
Patrick O’Shea, vice president for research, described the unified research enterprise as a catalyst for innovation, allowing breakthroughs to move seamlessly from the lab to real-world solutions that benefit communities across Maryland and around the globe.
Strengthening Maryland’s Research Leadership
Founded in 1807, the University of Maryland, Baltimore is home to the nation’s oldest public medical school and serves as the academic health, law, and social work campus of the University System of Maryland. With more than $636 million in extramural funding in fiscal year 2025, UMB’s faculty lead cutting-edge research that advances human health and social well-being worldwide.
As the state’s flagship campus, the University of Maryland, College Park is a top-tier public research university and a member of the Association of American Universities. Known as the nation’s first “Do Good” campus, UMCP combines academic excellence with a mission-driven focus on innovation, public service, and global impact.
Together, the two institutions’ rise in the NSF rankings signals not only growing research capacity, but a shared commitment to using discovery as a force for public good—cementing Maryland’s position as a national leader in research, innovation, and community impact.