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Maryland vs Vermont: Scholarship Climate 2026

Which climate fits best? Maryland appears better suited to applicants who want a larger overall pool of scholarship opportunities and a slightly higher average award. Vermont may fit applicants comfortable with a smaller opportunity set but interested in a state where the listed maximum award is higher.

State vs State

State A

Maryland

State B

Vermont

Quick comparison

MetricMarylandVermont
Active scholarships in catalog4937
Avg. award (where known)$2,922$2,588
Max indexed award$9,000$17,000

Financial Aid Overview for 2026

Maryland offers a larger scholarship opportunity pool than Vermont, with 58 listed grants versus 39. Its average award size is also somewhat higher at 3,131.46, compared with 2,869.12 in Vermont. For applicants prioritizing breadth of options, Maryland looks stronger on volume and average award size.

Vermont, however, shows a higher listed maximum award at 17000, compared with 15000 in Maryland. That suggests applicants chasing the biggest single scholarship may want to review Vermont opportunities closely, even though the overall pool is smaller.

Among the strongest listed scholarship organizations in Maryland are the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation with 4 grants, the Jewish Social Service Agency of Metropolitan Washington with 3, and the Maryland Higher Education Commission with 2. In Vermont, the Vermont Principals' Association leads with 2 grants, while other listed organizations each show 1 grant. Overall, Maryland feels broader and somewhat deeper, while Vermont feels narrower but still potentially worthwhile for targeted applicants.

Top Scholarship Providers in Maryland

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Top Scholarship Providers in Vermont

Ranked by number of active scholarships

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Scholarship climate by state

Maryland

Maryland feels like a broader scholarship market for applicants, with more total opportunities and a slightly higher average award size. It may be the better fit for students who want more chances to apply across multiple providers.

Vermont

Vermont feels more selective and niche, with fewer total opportunities but a higher listed maximum award. It may suit applicants who are targeting specific organizations and are comfortable with a smaller scholarship pool.

Public reference data

Cost of living & wages

State-level affordability context to complement scholarship climate above - not ScholarshipTop grant totals.

Visual comparison

Maryland

Median household income

$104,998

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,372

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

24.15/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$59,510

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 36.28 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

middle indicator band

ADI band

middle indicator band

SVI counties

24

ADI counties

24

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 24 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 24 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Vermont

Median household income

$79,115

Census ACS

Fair market rent (2BR)

$1,379

HUD monthly estimate

Living wage

24.47/hr

Single adult, MIT model

BLS median wage

$56,390

State occupational estimate

Reported violent crime rate (state aggregate): 16.30 per 100k population. Public safety context is based on aggregate state-level public data - not a safety rating.

Public planning context

Community indicators vary by county and are included only as public planning context. Use this alongside scholarship amount, school cost, and living expenses - not as an eligibility rule.

CDC SVI band

lower indicator band

ADI band

middle indicator band

SVI counties

14

ADI counties

14

  • CDC SVI county data is available for 14 counties; county indicators vary and are best used as public planning context.
  • ADI block-group data is available across 14 counties; local conditions can vary within the same state.

Sources: Census ACS, HUD FMR, MIT Living Wage, BLS OEWS, and public reference datasets where available. Rent figures may reflect metro or state averages.

Public safety context uses aggregate public data and is included only as planning context.

Reference only - not ScholarshipTop eligibility rules or guarantees.

Data availability varies by school, city, state, and source year.

FAQ

Which state has more scholarship opportunities in 2026?
Maryland has more listed scholarship opportunities, with 58 grants compared with 39 in Vermont.
Which state has the higher average scholarship award?
Maryland has the higher average listed award at 3131.4583333333335, while Vermont's average is 2869.1176470588234.
Which state has the higher maximum scholarship award?
Vermont has the higher listed maximum award at 17000, compared with 15000 in Maryland.
Who are the strongest listed scholarship providers in each state?
In Maryland, the leading listed providers are the Restaurant Association of Maryland Education Foundation, Jewish Social Service Agency of Metropolitan Washington, and Maryland Higher Education Commission. In Vermont, the Vermont Principals' Association is the top listed provider by grant count.

Sources and official pages

Official and high-authority pages used to support this State vs State comparison.

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Internal reading paths around scholarship search, application strategy, and essay preparation for students comparing Maryland and Vermont.

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