for 144th in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report rankings of "National Universities" in the United States, and is ranked tied for 74th nationally among public universities. It was ranked tied for 15th nationally in undergraduate teaching and 14th in innovation. UMBC ranks fourth among U.S. research universities in the production of IT degrees and certificates, according to U.S. Department of Education data. The data shows UMBC ranking #21 in MS, and #31 in PhD IT degree production.
In 2012, U.S. News & World Report rated UMBC as the 12th most under-performing university, citing a gap between academic reputation and performance in the academic indicators.
The university is classified as a research university with very high research activity.
== Partnerships ==
The university has formed a variety of centers and institutes. It has a partnership with NASA. The Center for Space Science and Technology, Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center, and the Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology all are affiliated …