Historically Black land-grant university on Maryland's Eastern Shore, offering research and professional programs.
UMES comprises five schools offering 37 undergraduate areas of study, 15 master's degree programs, and 8 doctoral degree programs, with 27 accredited. The university is classified among "Research Colleges and Universities" and holds land-grant status. It operates a 385-acre research farm in Somerset County and the Paul S. Sarbanes Coastal Ecology Center near Assateague Island.
The main campus spans 1,138 acres in rural Princess Anne, Maryland. Student body composition (Fall 2023): 78% Black, 8% White, 5% two or more races, 4% Hispanic, 3% international, 1% Asian. Economically, 53% are low-income and 47% are affluent. The university is a member of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and holds NCAA Division I athletic affiliations with MEAC and ECAC.
UMES competes in 15 Division I sports (seven men's, eight women's) as a founding MEAC member (1970). The women's bowling team won NCAA championships in 2008, 2011, and 2012, becoming the first HBCU to win a women's NCAA national championship. The women's volleyball team won MEAC championships in 2011 and 2012 and has maintained a 30-match home winning streak. Football was discontinued after 1979.
UMES has produced numerous notable alumni including NFL players Art Shell (Pro Football Hall of Fame), Emerson Boozer, Johnny Sample, and Earl Christy. Four UMES alumni appeared in Super Bowl III (1968). The university received a $20 million donation from MacKenzie Scott in 2020 and a record $38 million gift in 2025.