
UMES competes in NCAA Division I athletics and is a member of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). Varsity sports include basketball, cross-country, track and field, bowling, baseball, softball, and volleyball; available teams and conference arrangements can vary by sport.
Varsity participation generally involves team selection, scheduled training, and NCAA eligibility rules. Students who want recreation rather than intercollegiate competition should look separately at current intramural activities, club opportunities, and fitness facilities. A sport appearing among general campus activities does not necessarily mean UMES fields an NCAA varsity team in it, and athletic scholarship availability must be confirmed with the relevant team and athletics office.
UMES students can seek involvement through student government, academic and professional organizations, cultural groups, service activities, and performing arts. The Student Government Association is a route for representing student concerns, while major-related groups offer a way to meet peers in the same field.
Students interested in performance can look into theater and choral activities. Fraternities, sororities, and other identity- or interest-based organizations may offer additional connections, subject to the university's recognition and membership rules. Because organizations can become active or inactive between academic years, a current student-activities directory is more reliable than an older list when deciding which group to join.
UMES enrolls about 3,177 students. Its reported entering class included 774 first-time, degree-seeking students, while 165 students entered as degree-seeking transfers.
Approximately 66% of students are Maryland residents, 32% come from other U.S. states, and 2% come from other countries. The university is an HBCU and enrolls students of many racial and ethnic backgrounds; a reported enrollment count identifies 1,827 Black or African American students. Those figures describe enrollment, not an individual student's experience or interests.
Many students are of traditional college age, but UMES also enrolls adults. Reported age counts include students in their late twenties, thirties, forties, and older. That mix matters for applicants comparing residential campus activities with the needs of commuters, transfers, and students balancing college with other responsibilities.
Student life at UMES combines a residential campus with a substantial commuting population. Reported housing information places 62% of students on campus and 33% in the commuting population, so the practical experience of attending can differ depending on where a student lives and how often they stay after class.
Campus activities, performances, recreation, and student groups provide ways to meet people beyond a major. UMES also reports a student health clinic and personal or psychological counseling. Students needing a particular service should check its hours, appointment process, and eligibility rather than assume every resource operates at all times.
For new students, orientation and academic advising are especially useful opportunities to learn the campus, plan a course schedule, and identify support early. Commuters may want to pay particular attention to where they can study, eat, and participate in activities between classes.
The Frederick Douglass Library is UMES's main campus library. It provides a place for coursework and research as well as access to academic materials beyond what is held on its shelves.
Students can use library study space and reserve study rooms. Reported library information also identifies study areas with extended, 24-hour availability on designated days; building access and hours may change during breaks. For research assignments, students should look beyond a general web search to the library's databases, journals, and librarian assistance. When an item is not locally available, the library's borrowing and research-help services are useful points of inquiry.
Total enrollment
3177Full Time Degree Seeking Freshmen
762Member of Athletic Associations
NCAATotal staff
227 full time, 93 part timeVeterans affair office
YesVarsity teams compete against other colleges, intramural teams within the school. Each column says whether men, women or both take part, and whether the sport offers athletic scholarships (Aid).
Sport
Baseball
Basketball
Bowling
Cheerleading
Cross-country running
Golf
Soccer
Softball
Swimming and diving
Table tennis
Tennis
Track and field
Volleyball
Weight lifting
Wrestling
Data last updated on November 5, 2026
Data sources: IPEDS 2024-25, Peterson 2026, College Scorecard 10/2026, Clery 2024 (2023-24), OpenAlex 2026
Figures on this profile come from federal and third-party datasets in the editions listed above and are refreshed periodically, so they may differ from what the institution currently reports. Confirm costs, deadlines and requirements with the school before making decisions.