Maryland Fast Facts:
Location, Location, Location...: Located in the mid-atlantic region of the United States, Maryland was the seventh of the original Thirteen Colonies to ratify the Constitution.
Cities: The capital city is Annapolis and Baltimore is the largest city.
Behind the Name: Maryland is officially nicknamed the “Old Line State” in reference to the courageous Revolutionary War soldiers who were known as the Maryland Line.
A Closer Look: One of the world’s most well known estuaries, the Chesapeake Bay, divides Maryland into two parts. The bay is navigable and provides for an abundant population of wildlife.
Did You Know? Maryland is a center for life sciences with over 350 biotechnology firms, making it the third largest of such clusters in the nation.
Maryland Careers and Employment:
Population: 5,633,597 (6.4% increase since 2000) - 51.6% Female, 48.4% Male (2008 U.S. Census Bureau).
Business Environment: Ranked 14th in Forbes Magazine’s “Best States for Business,” 2008.
Top Industries: In terms of paid employees, according to a 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study: (1) retail trade; (2) health care and social assistance; (3) professional, scientific and technical services; (4) construction; and (5) accommodation and food services.
Taxes: Income Tax, 2.0% to 5.5% and Sales Tax, 6% (Federation of Tax Administrators).
Cost of Living: 127.6 in relation to the “National Average” of 100 (Federal Cost of Living Index).
Quality of Life: Ranked 29th of 50 states by CNBC, 2009.
Weather: Average Temperature (In °F) – Jan: 32.24; Apr: 52.63; July: 75.44; Oct: 55.70 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
K-12: Ranked 25th of 50 states in “Academic Achievement” by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2009.
Maryland Economics:
In General: The majority of Maryland’s workforce is dedicated to service related industries. Other popular sectors include wholesale and retail trade (19%), military and government services (21%) and manufacturing (6%).
Service Industry: Community, business and personal services such as private health care (doctor’s offices, private hospitals) and support services for business/government (computer programming, consulting, data processing, janitorial, security) lead the services sector.
Agriculture: Livestock products comprise the bulk of Maryland’s farm income and a majority of Maryland’s crop income is from greenhouse and nursery products (flowers, ornamental shrubs, young fruit trees).
Manufacturing: Computer and electronic products, such as communications equipment or surveillance and navigation instruments, are Maryland’s most important manufactured products.
Mining: Maryland’s most valuable mined product is crushed stone, widely used in the construction industry.
Fishing: Maryland is a leading state in the distribution of blue crabs, hosting a considerable fishing industry.
Did You Know? The Port of Baltimore is one of the ten largest ports in the nation.
Maryland Education:
Find Colleges and Universities in Maryland, here.
Sources: In addition to specific citations noted in this “Career Information” section, supplementary source materials include: the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service; Netstate.com; Education-Portal.com; USCollegeSearch.org; and Wikipedia.com.
