Towson acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Towson University · Public · Towson, MD · 16,517 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Towson admitted 82.8% of applicants for fall 2023, up from 60.3% in 2013. Maryland residents pay $12,186 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $31,332.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
Show as table
| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 60.3% | 17,750 | 10,710 |
| 2014 | 59.2% | 18,134 | 10,738 |
| 2015 | 73.4% | 10,947 | 8,033 |
| 2016 | 73.7% | 11,897 | 8,773 |
| 2017 | 77.3% | 12,747 | 9,854 |
| 2018 | 79.0% | 11,933 | 9,427 |
| 2019 | 76.3% | 12,678 | 9,674 |
| 2020 | 78.8% | 12,295 | 9,689 |
| 2021 | 87.9% | 11,616 | 10,213 |
| 2022 | 78.6% | 17,770 | 13,967 |
| 2023 | 82.8% | 18,948 | 15,689 |
Applications went from 17,750 in fall 2013 to 18,948 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
Show as table
| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $6,506 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,700 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $17,468 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,245 |
| Over $110,000 | $28,082 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $12,186 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $31,332 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $29,884 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $18,120 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 15% submitted the SAT, 2% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Morgan State MD | 83.0% | $8,346 in-state |
| UMD MD | 44.8% | $12,290 in-state |
| Naval Academy MD | 9.4% | $0 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Towson University reported 18,948 applications for fall 2023, and 15,689 of those applicants were admitted, a rate of 82.8%.1 Looking back to fall 2013, the rate was 60.3%, so it has climbed 22.5 percentage points.1 The biggest step came in 2015, when it moved to 73.4%, and it peaked at 87.9% in 2021. Only 3 of the 10 yearly changes were declines.1 Applications grew 7% over the span while admitted students grew 46%, which accounts for the higher rate.1
Towson is test-optional. In 2023 the middle 50% of SAT reading and writing scores ran from 540 to 650, math ran from 510 to 620, and ACT composites ran from 19 to 28.1
Maryland residents pay $12,186 in tuition and fees for 2025-26 and out-of-state students pay $31,332.2 The in-state figure sits above the $10,200 median of 13 public bachelor's colleges in Maryland.2 Grants matter most for lower incomes: the average net price in 2024-25 was $6,506 for the $0 to $30,000 band, $17,468 for the $48,001 to $75,000 band, and $28,082 for families over $110,000.2
Of the 2019 entering class, 67% graduated within 6 years, compared with a Maryland median of 61%.2 Towson kept 83% of fall 2023 entrants for a next year, and 39% of undergraduates received Pell grants.2 Median earnings stood at $70,158 10 years after entry, above the $67,453 state median, and borrowers carried a median of $18,363.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 18,948 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 15,689 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 3,014 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 16,517 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 540 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 650 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 510 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 19 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 15% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 2% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $12,186 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $31,332 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $29,884 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $18,120 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $6,506 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,700 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $17,468 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $23,245 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $28,082 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 67% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 83% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 39% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $70,158 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,363 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Maryland (N = 13) | $10,200 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Maryland (N = 31) | 61% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry, Maryland (N = 28) | $67,453 | College Scorecard, median MD_EARN_WNE_P10, bachelor's institutions, 2022-232 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Towson, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page