PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - The University of Maryland Eastern Shore has climbed in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings, placing among the top six public historically Black colleges and universities in the country.
UMES is ranked No. 13 overall among 78 HBCUs for the 2026-27 academic year, according to the university. The school says the latest results also put UMES nine spots higher than last year in the publication’s public HBCU category.
The ranking comes as UMES celebrates the 140th anniversary of its founding.
“This year's rankings demonstrate a clear commitment to the high education and research performance standards by UMES students, faculty and staff,” UMES President Dr. Heidi M. Anderson said in a statement.
Anderson said the university’s continued placement in the rankings reflects its efforts to expand its standing as a learning and research institution. According to UMES, the university has ranked among the top 20 HBCUs overall for nearly 10 consecutive years and has steadily moved up the rankings over the past two decades.
Founded in 1886, UMES is a public land-grant HBCU in Princess Anne. The university says its graduates help fill a number of workforce needs on the Eastern Shore, including positions in healthcare, aviation, agriculture and law enforcement.
UMES currently offers more than 70 academic programs and concentrations, including 41 bachelor's degree programs, 19 master's programs, six Ph.D. programs, and four professional doctorate programs.
The university is also seeking accreditation for a proposed School of Veterinary Medicine. If accredited as described by UMES, the school would become Maryland's only standalone veterinary program and the nation's only veterinary medical school at a public HBCU, according to the university.

