MD, VA Public Colleges/Universities Are All Over Kiplinger's "Best Value" List

[mjah]

Nice!

Details of Maryland's meteoric rise are found here. Go Terps!

11 public colleges in Va., Md. called great values

Public colleges and universities in Maryland and Virginia did especially well in a new ranking by Kiplinger of best values in public higher education.

Virginia has six schools in the top 100--including two in the top 10--and Maryland has five in the top 100, with one in the top 10.

The newly released list shows the University of Maryland at College Park jumping from No. 28 in 2008 to No. 8 overall for 2010.

Top 10:

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

2. University of Florida

3. University of Virginia

4. College of William and Mary (Va.)

5. Binghamton University (SUNY)

6. University of Georgia

7. University of Washington

8. University of Maryland, College Park

9. SUNY Geneseo

10. North Carolina State University

For those following at home, over 10% of the entire list is represented by MD and VA public universities and colleges. Not too shabby.

[MattFancy]

Yeah Towson!

[zoony]

I've always felt that Virginia, North Carolina, and California were the gold-standard for higher education. Public anyways. Massachusetts of course has great schools but they're mostly private.

Surprising to see Maryland do well

....

[ixcuincle]

Virginia Tech has always been a bargain when it comes to undergraduate education, for in-state and out-of-state students.

[Predicto]

I have great respect for the public universities of the mid-Atlantic states, so don't take this as a knock on them. It isn't. Any rating of public universities would have UVa, UNC and William & Mary very high, and Maryland is a good school too.

But Kiplinger's is a finance magazine that always puts cost over quality, and its ratings are pretty much worthless. It's like those hilarous Money Magazine articles that say that someplace like Waco, Texas is the best place to live in America, when anyone who actually visits Waco can tell you that it is a horrible hellhole.

And again, I am not saying that these are the "Wacos of Higher Education." They are excellent schools. I'm just saying that Kiplinger's is not the place to start for evaluating your school choices.

(and no, the fact that UC Berkeley and UCLA didn't make the top ten is not influencing my thoughts in the least )

[Heisenberg]

JMU at #21.

Stop being such a hater Predicto.

[Predicto]

JMU at #21.

Stop being such a hater Predicto.

Hey, I should have included JMU and VaTech and lots of other good schools in the area. I'm a Virginia boy, my friends went to those schools, I know they are good, I was not knocking any of them.

I was knocking the idea of a money magazine doing college ratings.

[DjTj]

Hey, I should have included JMU and VaTech and lots of other good schools in the area. I'm a Virginia boy, my friends went to those schools, I know they are good, I was not knocking any of them.

I was knocking the idea of a money magazine doing college ratings.

What's wrong with trying to rank "Best Value?" They are not saying that UNC is a better school than Berkeley, just that it is the best school for the price.

If money isn't an issue, then you can look at the U.S. News Rankings and decide that Berkeley is a better school. But if you are looking at loans and financial aid packages, then a list like this could be helpful, and it might make a lot of sense to stay in-state.

Tuition costs have skyrocketed, student loans terms aren't as friendly, and high paying jobs are not as easy to find (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/27/AR2009122702116.html) ... it might not be a bad idea to think a little bit about value.

Wahoowa.

[Predicto]

What's wrong with trying to rank "Best Value?" They are not saying that UNC is a better school than Berkeley, just that it is the best school for the price.

If money isn't an issue, then you can look at the U.S. News Rankings and decide that Berkeley is a better school. But if you are looking at loans and financial aid packages, then a list like this could be helpful, and it might make a lot of sense to stay in-state.

Tuition costs have skyrocketed, student loans terms aren't as friendly, and high paying jobs are not as easy to find (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/27/AR2009122702116.html) ... it might not be a bad idea to think a little bit about value.

Wahoowa.

Oh I definitely think that people should consider value as well as quality. Absolutely. I turned down in state tuition at UVa Law School to go to Michigan Law, and cost myself tens of thousands of dollars in tuition (and I paid my own way through law school on loans and grants alone). In retrospect, that was probably a mistake.

I just don't think that Kiplinger's is the place to go to for that quality/value assessment. They are not educational experts, all they know is the money side of things, and even then they do a lousy job of it.

That's how you get laughers like "Waco is the best place to live in America."

[mjah]

It's like those hilarous Money Magazine articles that say that someplace like Waco, Texas is the best place to live in America, when anyone who actually visits Waco can tell you that it is a horrible hellhole.

I stopped for gas in Waco once, and discovered that it was impossible to get gas there. There was literally nobody manning the gas stations I found, and the pumps were off.

Then I realized that it was Sunday morning, and everyone -- EVERYONE -- was at church.

With no gas in the car I had no choice but to hang out by a gas pump and wait. Sure enough, about 40 minutes later a well-dressed couple fresh from church arrived and turned on the pumps.

I was at the edge of town, not in the middle of the bustling downtown Waco megatropolis. But still.

[jnhay]

I have to agree with Predicto. I can't imagine any of these lists meaning much.

[DjTj]

Oh I definitely think that people should consider value as well as quality. Absolutely. I turned down in state tuition at UVa Law School to go to Michigan Law, and cost myself tens of thousands of dollars in tuition (and I paid my own way through law school on loans and grants alone). In retrospect, that was probably a mistake.

Sounds like a mistake. Go 'Hoos!

I just don't think that Kiplinger's is the place to go to for that quality/value assessment. They are not educational experts, all they know is the money side of things, and even then they do a lousy job of it.

I guess I don't think this list is so far off. I really don't think it's that hard to make a list like this, since there are readily available statistics like SAT scores, admission rates, graduation rates, tuition and financial aid. It doesn't take much of an educational expert to crunch those numbers, and real educational experts seem to generally frown on rankings in general, so this kind of thing is often the best anyone can get for a big-picture look at these things.

That's how you get laughers like "Waco is the best place to live in America."

Just for the record, Kiplinger's best city for 2009 is Huntsville, Alabama: http://kiplinger.com/magazine/archives/2009/07/best-cities-2009-where-the-jobs-are.html

I'm still not moving there, but it's a lot better than Waco ... I can't complain much about those rankings either because #3 is Washington, DC and #4 is Charlottesville, VA. Hoo-rah-ray! U-V-A!

[Predicto]

For the record, I'm not a fan of any of the educational rankings, including US News or any other. They are all flawed and all do more harm than good IMO.

I'm just making fun of Kiplinger's because it's the one we are talking about, and I know how these magazine ratings have worked in the past.

By the way, I've never been to Huntsville, Alabama. Would anyone who has ever been to Huntsville please chime in? Let us know if it would it be at the top of your list as the dream place to live.

[Corcaigh]

I've heard that because of the tech community around NASA, Huntsville is a very decent place to live. But anywhere you want to go probably involves a flight.

Sort of like Berlin before the wall came down.

[Corcaigh]

The top three are an error and are actually from the 'best value schools for douches' survey.

And William & Mary at #4 is only relevant if you have the ability to get admitted.

[hokie4redskins]

Oh I definitely think that people should consider value as well as quality. Absolutely. I turned down in state tuition at UVa Law School to go to Michigan Law, and cost myself tens of thousands of dollars in tuition (and I paid my own way through law school on loans and grants alone). In retrospect, that was probably a mistake.

I just don't think that Kiplinger's is the place to go to for that quality/value assessment. They are not educational experts, all they know is the money side of things, and even then they do a lousy job of it.

That's how you get laughers like "Waco is the best place to live in America."

I've noticed you jump into EVERY educational thread ever created in the Tailgate (particularly ones that have nothing to do with you) to remind everyone you went to Michigan Law. Why? Nobody cares. We get it, you're a lawyer. You went to a good school.

But you're right, choosing Michigan over UVA was an idiotic decision.

[Heisenberg]

For the record, I'm not a fan of any of the educational rankings, including US News or any other. They are all flawed and all do more harm than good IMO.

I'm just making fun of Kiplinger's because it's the one we are talking about, and I know how these magazine ratings have worked in the past.

By the way, I've never been to Huntsville, Alabama. Would anyone who has ever been to Huntsville please chime in? Let us know if it would it be at the top of your list as the dream place to live.

I spent five days in Huntsville a few years back for training on the Redstone Arsenal there.

I wasn't impressed - but then again I don't know if I got to see the whole area.

[Predicto]

I've noticed you jump into EVERY educational thread ever created in the Tailgate (particularly ones that have nothing to do with you) to remind everyone you went to Michigan Law. Why? Nobody cares. We get it, you're a lawyer. You went to a good school.

Quit following me around from thread to thread looking to get a shot in just because I have pwned you so many times in the past, and it won't be a problem for you. :cool2:

[Predicto]

I spent five days in Huntsville a few years back for training on the Redstone Arsenal there.

I wasn't impressed - but then again I don't know if I got to see the whole area.

So, Huntsville is not likely to be the No. 1 place to live in America, in your view? What a surprise.

Even the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville would probably agree. :laugh:

[Heisenberg]

So, Huntsville is not likely to be the No. 1 place to live in America, in your view? What a surprise.

Even the President of the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville would probably agree. :laugh:

Maybe for some people, I mean it has rocket ships if you're into that sort of thing. lol

[zoony]

But you're right, choosing Michigan over UVA was an idiotic decision.

enlighten us

[Predicto]

enlighten us

I would discuss my personel choice further (since that choice is relevant to this discussion, in fact, it is directly on point and even involves one of the schools on this list)...

but that would only play into hokie's claim that I am here solely for sell-aggrandisement. Oh well.

[Corcaigh]

but that would only play into hokie's claim that I am here solely for sell-aggrandisement.

We all know that the only thing that brings meaning to your wretched and failed life is the social acceptance you get via this internet message board.

Otherwise your existence would be irrelevant.

[TheLongshot]

I'm still not moving there, but it's a lot better than Waco ... I can't complain much about those rankings either because #3 is Washington, DC and #4 is Charlottesville, VA. Hoo-rah-ray! U-V-A!

Some good choices there: I wouldn't mind living in Austin or Raleigh (actually, almost moved to Durham NC at one point.) I'm not sure about Athens, but I did like living in the Atlanta area.

[Burgundy Burner]

http://customsites.yahoo.com/financiallyfit/finance/article-108629-3902-0-best-values-in-public-colleges-2009-10?ywaad=ad0035

Four ACC Schools in the top ten - none from the Big Ten. The University of Virginia is the highest ranked among the top ten with regard to SAT/ACT scores and graduation rates (but of course!). The costs make it slip to third, but well done alma mater! UVA always gets high marks.

Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10

Jane Bennett Clark

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Despite widespread budget cuts, these schools still deliver strong academics at affordable prices.

The economy may be recovering, but the effects of the recession continue to buffet the nation's public colleges and universities. State governments, coping with shrunken tax revenues and an overwhelming demand for services, have cut funding for higher education. Universities that once relied on the income from fat endowments have yet to recoup multimillion-dollar losses to their portfolios. Families continue to apply for financial aid in record numbers. Meanwhile, enrollment at state institutions has spiked as more students go public and more people overall seek college degrees.

The schools in our top 100 best values in public colleges and universities -- led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for overall value and by Binghamton University (SUNY) for out-of-state value -- continue to deliver strong academics at reasonable prices, in many cases by offering the same or more financial aid as in previous years. But no one can say that it has been easy.

To cope with less money and more students, public institutions, including many in our rankings, have slashed operating costs and raised tuition beyond the average increase of about five percentage points over inflation in recent years. The University of California system, caught in the downdraft of a state budget meltdown, imposed a midyear tuition hike of 15 percent, to be followed by another 15 percent increase in the summer, precipitating statewide protests. (Our rankings reflect tuition and fees, including midyear increases, as of December 1, 2009.)

With neither state nor college budgets able to turn on a dime, the immediate future for public higher education looks "difficult, challenging and messy," says Daniel Hurley, of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. Your student could end up in bigger classes with more part-time instructors -- or worse yet, get shut out of a public college altogether as states limit enrollment to control costs.

In the best-case scenario, however, colleges will find more and better ways to preserve quality and eliminate fat, perhaps ultimately reducing the size or frequency of tuition increases. Some universities, including UNC-Chapel Hill and the University of Maryland at College Park (number 8 in our rankings), are already doing just that. "There's no reason we can't conduct nonacademic functions as efficiently as possible," says UNC chancellor Holden Thorp.

Last year, Thorp hired consultants Bain & Co. to help streamline operations, enabling the university to pare 10 percent in administrative expenses in anticipation of a state reduction in funding. "We insisted that the cuts be as far away from the classroom as we could get them," says Thorp. In Maryland, the university system struck a bargain with state leaders in which school administrators pledged to cut costs in exchange for a steady flow of state funding. Result? In-state students enjoyed a tuition freeze for four consecutive years.

Weighing Quality and Cost

Our definition of value begins with academics: No school is a bargain if it skimps on quality. All of the schools in our rankings perform well on measurable criteria, such as student-faculty ratios, academic competitiveness and on-time graduation rates.

The schools on our list also deliver an affordable education, our other measure of value, by keeping the sticker price low, offering plenty of financial aid or both. Of the colleges in our rankings, 39 charge about the same or less than the average annual in-state sticker price ($15,213) for four-year public institutions, and many come in well below that amount. Those prices look especially attractive compared with the average cost of a private-school education, which this year hit an average total of $35,636, according to the College Board.

You can also find bargains in our rankings for out-of-state students, who typically pay at least twice the price to attend someone else's home-state school. For example, Binghamton charges $26,075 a year to students who are not New York residents -- only one-third more than the in-state price. The school's large number of international students and its dual-degree programs with universities in Mexico, Russia and Turkey give the term out of state new meaning; but Binghamton's strong academics and affordable price attract interest from students across the U.S. as well. Says President Lois DeFleur, "With so many applications, we've become more selective. We're taking the best."

As for financial aid, the colleges on our list have managed to dig deep and dole out sufficient money to keep students coming. At UNC-Chapel Hill, an academic superstar that competes with the Ivies, the annual in-state cost for students with financial need comes to a dirt-cheap $5,912. The University of Virginia, another public Ivy (and number 3 on our list), and the New College of Florida (number 12), a tiny public honors school, charge students with need an average of less than $5,000.

Unlike many top-tier private universities, some of the high-ranked institutions on our list also offer non-need-based aid to encourage top achievers to enroll in-state. "One of our responsibilities as a land-grant institution is to keep the best and the brightest," says Sarah Bauder, director of the office of student financial aid at the University of Maryland. UNC-Chapel Hill, which offers need-based and merit aid to both residents and nonresidents, uses 25 percent of the revenue from logo-bearing T-shirts and sports memorabilia to stoke its merit-scholarship fund. Tar Heel fans keep the money rolling in, says Shirley Ort, associate provost and director of scholarships and student aid. "Luckily for us, we won a basketball championship in 2009."

UNC -- Still the One

Chapel Hill, a consistent winner of Kiplinger's top honors, maintains its lofty spot in our tables in part for its ability to attract and keep highflying students. Three-fourths or more of its incoming freshmen scored higher than 600 on both the verbal and math portions of their SATs, and almost all -- 96.5 percent -- stay on after freshman year. This year, Chapel Hill fielded more than 23,000 applications and admitted about 7,400, giving it a competitive 32 percent admission rate. Almost 20 percent of the admitted students were the first in their families to attend college.

Besides boasting top students, an outstanding faculty and a historic campus, Chapel Hill enjoys one big advantage over many other public schools: strong state support for financial aid. "Our aid money from the state has grown significantly over the past few years," says Ort. Although funding was trimmed a bit in the current academic year, she says, "we were still in an improved spot over the previous year." That support has enabled UNC to protect its financial-aid budget and to maintain its policy of minimizing or eliminating loans from the financial-aid packages for families with need.

Still, financial-aid applications at Chapel Hill jumped 17 percent this year over last year's number, which rose 13 percent over the previous year. Despite the demand, UNC plans to meet the need of every student who walks through its doors, says Thorp. "We're not going to back away from our traditions in financial aid."

Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10

1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Undergraduate Enrollment: 17,895

SAT: 75 percent scored 600 or higher on verbal/math; ACT: 82 percent scored 24 or higher

Student/Faculty Ratio: 14

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 75 percent/88 percent

Total In-State Cost: $15,296

Total Out-of-State Cost: $33,184

Average Debt at Graduation: $14,936

Chapel Hill, a consistent winner of Kiplinger's top honors, maintains its lofty spot in part for its ability to attract and keep highflying students. This year, it fielded more than 23,000 applications and admitted about 7,400, giving it a competitive 32 percent admission rate.

2. University of Florida

Undergraduate Enrollment: 34,654

SAT: 65 percent; ACT: 73 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 20

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 54 percent/81 percent

Total In-State Cost: $12,863

Total Out-of-State Cost: $32,234

Average Debt at Graduation: $15,318

Low annual in-state costs and diverse academic programs are just a few reasons why this school ranks in the top of our list. On campus, students can find cutting-edge research facilities, ten libraries and Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (pictured right), home of the Florida Gators.

3. University of Virginia

Undergraduate Enrollment: 15,208

SAT: 78 percent; ACT: 83 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 15

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 85 percent/93 percent

Total In-State Cost: $19,312

Total Out-of-State Cost: $41,312

Average Debt at Graduation: $19,016

Considered a public Ivy League school, the University of Virginia doesn't come with a top-tier price tag for in-state students with financial need. It charges them, on average, less than $5,000.

4. College of William and Mary (Va.)

Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,850

SAT: 84 percent; ACT: 83 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 11

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 84 percent/92 percent

Total In-State Cost: $20,566

Total Out-of-State Cost: $40,358

Average Debt at Graduation: $12,859

This public school, which is the second oldest college in the U.S., looks and feels like an elite Ivy League institution. It has one of the lowest student-faculty ratios on our list and one the highest percentages of students who scored 600 or higher on the verbal and math SATs.

5. Binghamton University (SUNY)

Undergraduate Enrollment: 11,821

SAT: 66 percent; ACT: 83 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 20

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 69 percent/80 percent

Total In-State Cost: $18,175

Total Out-of-State Cost: $26,075

Average Debt at Graduation: $14,541

Binghamton charges $26,075 a year to students who are not New York residents -- only one-third more than the in-state price. The school's large number of international students and its dual-degree programs with universities in Mexico, Russia and Turkey give the term out of state new meaning; but Binghamton's strong academics and affordable price attract interest from students across the U.S. as well.

6. University of Georgia

Undergraduate Enrollment: 25,467

SAT: 58 percent; ACT: 62 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 18

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 51 percent/80 percent

Total In-State Cost: $16,636

Total Out-of-State Cost: $34,846

Average Debt at Graduation: $14,343

Most in-state students qualify for the merit-based HOPE scholarship, which covers tuition and mandatory fees -- making the school a great value for Georgia residents. University of Georgia is the nation's first state-chartered university, and recently it opened the world's first stand-alone academic school devoted specifically to the study of ecology. It also is home to Georgia's State Botanical Garden, State Museum of Art and State Museum of Natural History.

7. University of Washington

Undergraduate Enrollment: 29,397

SAT: 48 percent; ACT: 63 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 11

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 51 percent/77 percent

Total In-State Cost: $17,676

Total Out-of-State Cost: $34,351

Average Debt at Graduation: $16,800

One of the oldest public universities on the West Coast, this top research institution draws strong students from around the world to its Seattle-based campus, where the 11 to 1 student-faculty ratio gives them plenty of access to professors who include Nobel Prize winners and MacArthur Foundation award recipients.

8. University of Maryland, College Park

Undergraduate Enrollment: 26,431

SAT: 66 percent; ACT: 76 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 18

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 63 percent/82 percent

Total In-State Cost: $18,455

Total Out-of-State Cost: $34,392

Average Debt at Graduation: $20,091

University of Maryland, known for its engineering, journalism and computer-science programs, has risen to our top ten by keeping in-state costs virtually unchanged while improving on quality, especially in its graduation rates. Maryland also provides need-based financial aid to 50 percent of its students.

9. SUNY Geneseo

Undergraduate Enrollment: 5,451

SAT: 80 percent; ACT: 87 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 19

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 58 percent/78 percent

Total In-State Cost: $17,176

Total Out-of-State Cost: $25,076

Average Debt at Graduation: $18,700

Like the other State University of New York school on our list (Binghamton), SUNY Geneseo is a bargain for out-of-state students. Out-of-state costs are about $7,000 higher than in-state costs. Many public schools charge non-residents double the amount residents pay.

10. North Carolina State University

Undergraduate Enrollment: 24,741

SAT: 36 percent; ACT: 56 percent

Student/Faculty Ratio: 16

Graduation Rate 4-yr./6-yr.: 37 percent/70 percent

Total In-State Cost: $14,390

Total Out-of-State Cost: $26,875

Average Debt at Graduation: $14,996

This large university comprises ten colleges in disciplines including textiles, design, agriculture and veterinary medicine. At $14,390, its annual in-state costs are below the average ($15,213) for four-year public institutions and second-lowest in our top ten, after the University of Florida. NC State's relatively low out-of-state sticker price, $26,875, makes it number 9 for out-of-state value.

More at the above link.