College
How We Rank the Schools
These criteria help us determine which universities make it onto our list.
From Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, February 2010
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Kiplinger’s bases its rankings on a combination of academics and affordability. We start with data from more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities, provided by Peterson’s/Nelnet, then add our own reporting.
We narrow the list to about 120 schools based on measures of academic quality -- including SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates, which most schools reported for the class entering in 2002.
We then rank each school based on cost and financial aid. In our scoring system, academic quality carries more weight than costs (almost two-thirds of the total).
To assess costs, we look at total expenses for in-state students (tuition, mandatory fees, room and board, and books); the average cost for a student with need after subtracting grants (but not loans); the average cost for a student without need after subtracting non-need-based grants; the average percentage of need met by aid; and the average debt per student before graduation. (In the table, aid is need-based assistance.)
To determine out-of-state rankings, we run the academic-quality and expense numbers again, this time using total costs for out-of-state residents and average costs after aid.
Our rankings focus on traditional four-year schools with broad-based curricula. As a result, schools that offer great value but focus on special or narrow academic programs, such as the military service academies, are excluded. Cornell University, best known as a member of the Ivy League, is another exception. Four of Cornell’s colleges are part of the privately endowed university, which we consider a private institution. But three of Cornell’s undergraduate colleges are land-grant state schools that cost much less -- about $22,000 a year for tuition and fees.
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Reader Comments (18)
Posted by: Nomen at 12/31/2009 11:04:46 AM
If possible, pick a major before picking a school. If the student is undecided, a junior college is a much cheaper choice to start out. Final education costs will be more about planning. With very few exceptions any public university will provide a good quality education for most fields of study. Perhaps the most important consideration of all is to realistically evaluate a students abilities. Too many bright high school students are brainwashed that they can be anything they want to be even though they didn't have the necessary talent or desire to work hard enough to compete at an elevated level. This often leads to a lot of disappointment and high drop out rates. That said, I have seen students with reading disabilities go on to be 4.0 grads in technical fields and many valedictorians fall on their faces and shocked to find that the challenges were beyond their abilities. Most of all, pick a field of study where you can actually make a decent living.
Posted by: Andy at 01/04/2010 01:42:55 PM
According to the article: "As a result, schools that offer great value but focus on special or narrow academic programs, such as the military service academies, are excluded." West Point offers 35 different academic disciplines and 171 different majors. What is special or narrow about this? There is a myth the service academies only teach the military art. While this is taught students also receive any of the 171 majors just like other public schools.
Posted by: mm at 01/04/2010 05:10:50 PM
SAT and ACT scores have little to do with the quality of academics of an institution. Mostly it reflects is the broad-range test taking ability of students entering that institution. For example, a university could be an excellent value for turning out elementary school teachers for which the SAT and ACT have little or no bearing. As Nomen points out, you should not ignore institutions that partner with Junior Colleges where you get the same general ed and base classes you'd get at the university your first two years, 100% transferable, at fraction of the cost. And if you are talking best value, you seem to have discounted cost quite a bit.
Posted by: Bruce R at 01/08/2010 08:51:49 AM
Do you take into account the percent of full time faculty versus adjuncts conducting the teaching? And the number of courses and preparations per semester or term these faculty teach? I think without a spread sheet that takes that into account, it will be hard to assess value or quality of education. Class size is also a factor, and the impact of transfers from a year or two of community college on the ability of the four year institution to ensure that their "graduates" have a coherent education, and that the preparatory courses actually prepare students for the upper level courses. I see lots of students with "TR" by their transfer then struggling in upper level courses in their major, yet this is the policy promoted by state legislatures and some parents alike, looking for providing education "on the cheap."
Posted by: Louise at 01/08/2010 01:09:02 PM
I think student-faculty ratios do not tell as true a story as the actual numbers of tenure vs adjunct faculty, and instructors with PhDs vs Master's, etc. would tell. If a college takes care of its teachers it will be a good place to learn. If the college is loaded with part-time, poorly paid teachers, they are not as motivated to spend the time it takes to teach your subject well. In my region, adjuncts are paid $1,400 per class which gives one the equivalent of a grand $8,400 per year income if one taught full-time. I loved teaching part-time and my students have loved the classes I've taught, but I'm not even motivated to look for work anymore, it is too pathetic.
Posted by: Rick B at 01/11/2010 03:39:32 PM
The Georgia HOPE Scholarship allows students with a "B" Average to get their in-state public university tuition paid for (there is also an allowance for in-state private schools such as Emory). That is a deal that is hard to beat for affordability. Do you factor that in?
Posted by: Ron Simmons at 01/11/2010 04:22:48 PM
Having graduated from Centre College in Danville, Kentucky back in 1960, I followed the progress of this very fine institution and was disappointed to not see it posted as one of the top Liberal Arts College's in the country. I do know that our endowment is one of the highest and our Graduates rank very high in the corporate world. Just curious!
Posted by: m at 01/14/2010 04:44:57 PM
are these costs for one academic year, one semester or all four years??? I paid $350 a semester.
Posted by: Tara Elkridge at 01/21/2010 05:29:33 PM
Where are the West Virginia schools????????
Posted by: Lauri Johnson at 01/21/2010 05:30:15 PM
Was Troy University, with it's main campus located in Troy, Alabama, included in this study? And if so, how did Troy rank?
Posted by: stacey strickland at 01/21/2010 05:31:48 PM
I was disappointed in not seeing my alma mata, The Citadel, on the list. Did you consider The Citadel in your ranking? The Citadel is consistently rated highly in the U.S. News listing.
Posted by: Travis at 01/21/2010 09:48:59 PM
While I think that an effort has been made to rank colleges fairly, my belief is that it has more to do with the motivation of the enrolled students in a particular university, rather than the professors or money spent. It reminds me of a saying in sports; "Its not the dog in the fight, its the fight in the dog. My experience allowed me to work with graduates from various colleges and I found out that it is hard to distinquish the educational level of these graduates. The one thing that stood out was their social manners. Possibly this was a product of their home life or economic status.
Posted by: Cory at 01/22/2010 12:24:10 PM
One should also consider % employed after graduation and average salary. Although this will vary by regions, this is a good indicator of how well a university prepares their students for the ultimate goal, a job. Also it is a good indicator of not only how strongly motivated students are, but also how well the University is respected among comapanies in the marketplace.
Posted by: dixie at 01/23/2010 09:35:16 AM
what about kirkwood community college in cedar rapids, ia?
Posted by: John at 01/23/2010 10:17:50 AM
NO Kansas schools?????? There must be a mu grad working for Kiplinger's!!!!
Posted by: L Pauls at 01/23/2010 12:14:25 PM
The entire state of Arizona is missing. I thought the U of A and ASU were considered one of the better buys in the US????? Even out of state tuition in Arizona is competitive with many instate rates at other schools.
Posted by: Chris at 01/25/2010 10:27:32 AM
I don't know how Kiplinger's is coming up with the average debt per graduate. Apparantly all of these schools give out full rides to the majority of their student body because there is no way the average debt is less than the tuition for 1 year!!
Posted by: Marc Stewart at 02/13/2010 04:31:43 PM
It would be much more helpful if you would place more emphasis on each school's 4-year graduation rate in your ranking. A school isn't necessarily a good value if you have to pay for an additional year or two's tuition and housing, while simultaneously losing a year or two of post-grad employment income. The outcome of taking 5 or more years to graduate... higher debt and less income with which to pay it back.