Is the University of Maryland or UVA more affordable for a Virginia resident?

For a Virginia resident, UVA is typically much more affordable than the University of Maryland because you qualify for UVA’s in-state tuition rate. At Maryland, a Virginia resident is charged the substantially higher nonresident rate, and there is no standard Virginia-Maryland tuition reciprocity arrangement for these universities.

Maryland can become financially viable only when its merit scholarship or need-based aid package closes much of that out-of-state price gap. That is possible, but it should not be assumed, since public universities often reserve their most favorable base tuition for state residents and nonresident merit awards are limited and competitive.

For a student whose family qualifies for significant need-based aid, compare each school’s official net price calculator and the final aid offers rather than tuition alone. For a student who does not qualify for need-based aid, UVA is even more likely to be less expensive unless Maryland offers a large, renewable merit award.

Also compare whether any scholarship is guaranteed for four years, what GPA or enrollment requirements it carries, and annual increases in tuition, housing, and fees.