University of Maryland Eastern Shore ranks 13 among HBCUs, says U.S. News & World Report

The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) is celebrating its 140th anniversary, but also another honor -- a new ranking among Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in U.S. News & World Report. 

UMES is among the top six public HBCUs in the nation and ranked number 13 overall out of 78 HBCUs for 2026--2027, according to new rankings published by U.S. News & World Report.

With the new ranking, UMES jumped nine spots from where the college placed last year in the public HBCU category. The moved tied UMES with North Carolina Central University (NCCU) and Prairie View A&M University.

For almost 10 consecutive years, UMES has been ranked among the top 20 HBCUs overall, with Anderson University taking the highest spot in eight of those years. 

"This year's rankings demonstrate a clear commitment to the high education and research performance standards by UMES students, faculty and staff," said Dr. Heidi M. Anderson, UMES' president. "The continued appearance in the highest margins of U.S. News & World Report's college ranking indicates a clear vision for success for all seeking higher education at UMES, which continues to become recognized as a world-class learning and research institution." 

UMES, which was established in 1886, said in a news release that it is "committed to serving students with a special focus on first-generation and underserved students." 

Recently, UMES began seeking accreditation for a School of Veterinary Medicine, which will make it the only college in Maryland with a veterinary program and the only HBCU with that program in the nation.