Sterling Care Bel Air
410 EAST MCPHAIL ROAD, Bel Air, MD 21014
Bel Air, Maryland · CMS verdict
Sterling Care Bel Air's CMS overall star rating stands at 3 of 5, in line with the Maryland state average (3.1) and reflecting average quality by the federal five-star measure.
The rating and the PlainElderCare Index below summarize federal inspection, staffing, and outcome data, they measure specific, documented dimensions of this facility, not a holistic verdict on the care your family member would receive. Visit in person, talk with staff and current residents' families, and weigh your family member's specific needs before choosing.
Sterling Care Bel Air in Bel Air, Maryland holds a CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars and a PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index of 42 of 100 (grade F). The 155-bed facility operates where a semi-private nursing-home room in Maryland runs a median of $12,927 per month. Figures are from CMS Nursing Home Compare.
PlainElderCare Quality & Compliance Index
A transparent composite of this facility's CMS Care Compare sub-ratings and its federal inspection record. It complements, and does not replace, the official CMS overall rating of 3 of 5 stars. How this is calculated.
How the 42 is built
Each segment is a dimension's weighted points toward the score, summing to 42.
Weights: health inspections 30%, staffing 25%, quality measures 25%, inspection record 20%; any dimension CMS has not published drops out and its weight redistributes (no silent deflation). Inspection record is benchmarked against all rated US nursing homes. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Data insights
Quality ratings
Sterling Care Bel Air holds a CMS overall quality rating of 3 out of 5 stars, based on the most recent Care Compare release (data as of April 2026). CMS breaks this into three sub-ratings: health inspection (2/5), staffing (2/5), and quality measures (5/5).
What each sub-rating measures
The health inspection rating reflects on-site surveyor findings from the last three cycles. The staffing rating compares case-mix-adjusted nurse hours per resident day to national benchmarks, and quality measures aggregate 15 clinical indicators including pressure ulcers, falls with injury, and long-stay antipsychotic use.
Size and setting
Located in Bel Air, Maryland, this facility operates 155 certified beds with an average daily census of roughly 127 residents - an occupancy rate of about 82%. The facility is classified under for profit - corporation ownership, a designation that can influence staffing patterns, reinvestment decisions, and admissions policy. At about 82% occupancy, this facility's bed usage looks steady and consistent with a stabilized operation.
Same-ownership peers
Within Maryland, Sterling Care Bel Air is one of 75 for profit - corporation nursing homes CMS rates. Its 3-star overall rating sits above the for profit - corporation-segment average of 2.8 stars, ahead of roughly 51% of same-ownership peers in the state. Peer comparisons within the same ownership type are more apples-to-apples than a state-wide average, since for-profit, non-profit, and government operators tend to differ systematically in staffing and reinvestment.
Inspection record
On the regulatory side, federal and state surveyors have documented multiple deficiencies at this facility (48 total). CMS has levied 1 enforcement penalty - civil money penalties or denials of payment, during the same window. This is a high deficiency count relative to most facilities; requesting the full survey report directly is the only way to see whether these are concentrated in one area or spread across the facility's operations.
Where these figures come from
The figures above come directly from the U.S. Centers for Medicare \& Medicaid Services Nursing Home Compare dataset for federal quality ratings, combined with the CareScout 2025 Cost of Care Survey of more than 15,000 elder-care providers nationwide and U.S. Census American Community Survey income data. Cost figures are monthly medians, refreshed annually with each new CareScout release; quality ratings are refreshed quarterly from the CMS Provider Information File. Read these state and county medians as benchmarks, then verify current rates with individual providers and consult care managers before making placement decisions. See our methodology for source vintage.
How Sterling Care Bel Air compares to Maryland
CMS five-star sub-ratings (0–5) for this facility against the Maryland facility-weighted average. Source: CMS Care Compare.
Bar = this facility's rating · vertical marker = Maryland state average. Higher is better on all four CMS measures.
Where Sterling Care Bel Air ranks in Maryland
Among the 219 CMS-rated nursing homes in Maryland, Sterling Care Bel Air’s 3-star overall rating is higher than 40% of them. The bars show how all Maryland homes spread across the CMS 1-to-5 scale; this facility’s band is highlighted.
41 Maryland homes share this 3-star rating. Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare.
Facility details
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Beds | 155 |
| Residents | 127 |
| Ownership | For profit - Corporation |
| County | Harford |
| Penalties | 1 |
| Deficiencies | 48 |
Source: CMS Care Compare Nursing Homes (data as of April 2026)
What do families ask most?
What is the quality rating for Sterling Care Bel Air? ▾
CMS rates Sterling Care Bel Air at 3 out of 5 stars overall. The three sub-ratings behind that number: health inspection 2/5, staffing 2/5, quality measures 5/5.
How much does a nursing home cost per month in Maryland? ▾
The median cost for a semi-private nursing home room in Maryland is $12,927 per month ($155,125 annually). A private room averages $14,448 per month. Costs are from the CareScout 2025 survey.
What services does Sterling Care Bel Air offer? ▾
Sterling Care Bel Air is a skilled nursing facility with 155 beds with approximately 127 current residents. It operates under for profit - corporation ownership. The facility has recorded 48 deficiencies and 1 penalties in CMS inspections.
Does Sterling Care Bel Air have any deficiencies or penalties? ▾
Sterling Care Bel Air has multiple deficiencies (48 total) and 1 penalties recorded by CMS. A count this high is above what most facilities post; ask the facility directly for its plan of correction on the largest findings.
What are the alternatives to a nursing home in Maryland? ▾
In Maryland, alternatives include assisted living ($7,173/mo), home health aides ($6,673/mo), and adult day care ($2,526/mo).
Elder Care Guides
Explore PlainElderCare
Related Resources
Compare cost and CMS quality across the state on the Maryland elder-care overview, or see how facilities rank nationwide in our highest-rated states ranking.
Weigh nursing care against assisted living, home health, and adult day care, with national median costs, on our care types comparison, and learn how to fund it in our paying for elder care guide.
Source: CMS Nursing Home Compare. Provider ID: 215312.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.