2023 Best Online Community Colleges in Maryland

Prince George's Community College (PGCC) is a public institution that offers several associate degree and certificate programs online. These include programs in some of PGCC's most popular fields of study, such as the Associate of Arts in General Studies with a choice of three concentrations and the Associate of Applied Science in Business Management. This school has a graduation rate of 12%.

PGCC's online learners currently sign in to the Blackboard platform to complete courses, but the college plans to switch to Canvas. It is a federally designated Predominantly Black Institution, with two-thirds of the student body identifying as Black. More than half of all students are enrolled in online-only programs.

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC), a public school, features a number of online associate degrees and certificates. Some popular choices include associate degrees in general studies and allied human services, along with a professional certificate in computer coding. BCCC has a 23% graduation rate.

The college uses the Canvas learning management system (LMS) to host online courses. About 78% of BCCC students identify as Black, so the federal government considers this an official Predominantly Black Institution. Nearly all enrollees take online courses exclusively, and more than two-thirds are part-time learners.

The Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) is a public school with a variety of online programs to choose from. The college's most sought-after program is its Associate of Arts in General Studies degree, followed by a certificate in criminal justice studies and an Associate of Arts in Business Administration degree. The school's graduation rate is 16%.

Online students at CCBC use the Brightspace LMS to view lectures, read and submit assignments, and interact with faculty and classmates. At 40%, the largest share of CCBC students identifies as Black. About 40% of all enrollees are online-only students, and another 28% take a mixture of online and in-person classes.

The public Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) provides dozens of fully online associate degrees and certificates. Several of its offerings are designed as transfer degrees for students who want to continue their studies at the bachelor's level. These include the Associate of Science in Business and Associate of Arts in Psychology degrees. AACC's graduate rate is 35%, which is higher than the median rate of 30% for two-year colleges nationwide.

The college uses the Canvas learning platform to deliver online courses to students. Two-thirds of AACC students are part-time learners, and 60% enroll in online-only programs.

Frederick Community College, a public institution, offers a number of online degree and certificate options. The school's Associate of Arts in General Studies degree has the highest enrollment, and other popular choices include an Associate of Arts in Business Administration degree and an Associate of Arts in Social Sciences degree. Frederick has a 41% graduation rate, significantly higher than the median graduation rate of 35% for all community colleges combined.

Online students use the Blackboard LMS to complete coursework. About one-third of Frederick students enroll in exclusively online programs, and 60% of all enrollees study part time.

Students at Hagerstown Community College (HCC) can pursue online associate degrees in arts and sciences, business administration, commercial transportation administration, cybersecurity, general studies, human services, education, management, marketing, psychology, and sociology. HCC also offers online certificates in areas such as administrative assistance, commercial transportation management, and cybersecurity. An online associate degree can be a good fit for students who want to complete job training and enter the workforce or for students who want to complete the first two years of their bachelor's degree for a lower cost and then transfer to a four-year university.

HCC uses both asynchronous and synchronous classes, and offers resources such as a built-in tool that can read class documents out loud to students. Virtual services for online students include live technical support, tutoring, and a writing center.

Montgomery College is a large public community college serving more than 17,000 students each year. Students at MC can earn their online associate degree in a broad range of fields, including behavioral health, business, computer science, criminal justice, cybersecurity, data science, emergency services, early childhood education, and general studies. The college also offers fully online certificates in many of the same fields, as well as hospitality, homeland security, professional and technical writing, web development, and women's and gender studies.

Students at MC can access online counseling, tutoring, virtual workshops, and other resources. Those located near one of the MC campuses in Rockville, Takoma Park, or Germantown can also come to campus for additional support and resources.

Allegany College of Maryland (ACM) is a public community college in Cumberland offering online classes and programs in business administration, psychology, nursing, and other fields of study. Many programs at ACM offer online classes, and fully-online degrees available include an associate in business administration and an LPN to RN bridge program.

Students looking to enter the workforce can gain targeted skills in their field of study and graduate with their associate, while those who plan to finish a bachelor's can complete general education requirements and major-specific courses before transferring. ACM also offers flex delivery classes, where students can choose to attend in person, online, or review a recording of the lecture later on.

Harford Community College is a two-year, public college that offers four fully online associate degrees in accounting, business administration, communication studies, and computer information systems. These programs each require the completion of 60 credit hours.

Distance learners use the Blackboard system to view readings and lectures, participate in class discussions, and submit homework assignments. In addition to government-sponsored financial aid and private scholarships, all Harford students are eligible for one of several institutional scholarships and grants. The school provides library resources and tech support for online learners.