AP Computer Science A credit at Maryland colleges
Every Maryland college with a published AP Computer Science A credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
Quick answer
25 of 32 Maryland colleges (78%) award credit for AP Computer Science A at a score of 3. 5 require a 4 and 2 require a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at University of Maryland Global Campus (4 credit hours). 32 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | CMIS 141 | Policy | |
 University of Maryland-College Park College Park | 3 | 2 | Lower Level Elective | Policy |
 Towson University Towson | 3 | 4 | COSC 175 | Policy |
| 3 | 3 | CSIT 111 | Policy | |
| 3 | 3 | IS 125 | Policy | |
| 3 | 4 | CTP 115 | Policy | |
 Morgan State University Baltimore | 3 | 3 | COSC 110 | Policy |
| 3 | 3 | INT 2210 | Policy | |
 Howard Community College Columbia | 3 | 4 | CMSY-166 | Policy |
 Salisbury University Salisbury | 3 | 4 | COSC ELE | Policy |
 College of Southern Maryland La Plata | 3 | 3 | CSC 1100 | Policy |
 Frederick Community College Frederick | 3 | 3 | CMIS 106 | Policy |
 Loyola University Maryland Baltimore | 3 | 3 | CS120 | Policy |
 Harford Community College Bel Air | 3 | 8 | CSI 131 & 132 | Policy |
 Stevenson University Owings Mills | 3 | 3 | IS Elective | Policy |
 Frostburg State University Frostburg | 3 | 3 | COSC 195 | Policy |
 Hagerstown Community College Hagerstown | 3 | 3 | CSC 130 | Policy |
 Wor-Wic Community College Salisbury | 3 | 4 | CMP 135 | Policy |
 Carroll Community College Westminster | 3 | 3 | CMSC 201 | Policy |
MSMS Mount St. Mary's University Emmitsburg | 3 | 3 | CMSCI 125 | Policy |
 St. Mary's College of Maryland St. Mary's City | 3 | 4 | COSC 120 | Policy |
 Cecil College North East | 3 | 6 | CSC 109, CSC 205 | Policy |
 University of Baltimore Baltimore | 3 | 3 | — | Policy |
 Hood College Frederick | 3 | 3 | CS Elective | Policy |
 Garrett College McHenry | 3 | 4 | CIS170 COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAMMING I | Policy |
 Coppin State University Baltimore | 4 | 4 | MISY 150 | Policy |
 McDaniel College Westminster | 4 | 4 | CSC 1106 | Policy |
 Maryland Institute College of Art Baltimore | 4 | — | NSCI 200T Natural Science Elective | Policy |
 Goucher College Baltimore | 4 | 4 | CS 116 | Policy |
 Washington College Chestertown | 4 | 4 | CSI 111 | Policy |
 Montgomery College Rockville | 5 | 4 | CMSC203 | Policy |
 Johns Hopkins University Baltimore | 5 | 3 | EN.500.112 | Policy |
AP Computer Science A credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per Maryland college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Maryland colleges give credit for AP Computer Science A?+
32 colleges in Maryland publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Computer Science A. 25 of them (78%) award credit at a score of 3, 5 require a 4, and 2 require a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Computer Science A score that earns credit in Maryland?+
3. University of Maryland Global Campus in Adelphi awards credit at a score of 3, worth 4 credit hours, counting as CMIS 141. 25 Maryland colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in Maryland?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these Maryland AP credit policies?+
32 of the 32 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.