The Baltimore metropolitan area is a national leader in health, computer, art and biology education, according to a report released today by the Atlanta Regional Council for Higher Education.  

The Baltimore-Towson region is the nation's 21st largest in terms of overall student enrollments but ranks 6th in production of health and clinical science degrees, 7th in computer and information sciences, 10th in visual and performing arts and 12th in biological and life sicences, the report found.

Thanks largely to Johns Hopkins University, a research powerhouse, Baltimore ranked 3rd among all U.S. metro areas in higher education-related research expenditures.

With more than 25,000 black students enrolled in higher education programs in 2005, the region also ranked 8th among America's metropolitan areas for education of African Americans.