The Best-Value Public Colleges: Kiplinger List

The New Year is off to a great start for the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, which has been named Kiplinger's best value public college for the tenth year in a row.

Though the total cost of a year at UNC comes in at around $17,000, in-state students are granted generous aid and graduate with comparatively low debt. UNC is followed in value by the University of Florida and the University of Virginia.

Kiplinger initially reviewed 500 schools using Peterson's/Nelnet data. After narrowing the list to around 120 schools based on academic quality -- using test scores, admission and persistence rates, student-faculty ratios, and graduation rates as their metrics -- Kiplinger evaluated the institutions based on cost, calculated by looking at tuition, compulsory fees, room and board, books and aid, including grants and other forms of aid and outstanding debt. Kiplinger offers their rankings according to both out-of- and in-state tuitions -- when looked at in terms of out-of-state tuition, SUNY Binghamton ranks first, followed by SUNY-Geneseo and UNC-Chapel Hill.

Below, see the thirteen best value public colleges based on in-state cost, and check out Kiplinger for an interactive list and comprehensive school profiles.

Did your college make the cut? Should it have? Let us know in the comments section.

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University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

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Comments

[Curlysf]

06:49 PM on 01/31/2011

As a Binghamton University Alumni (Class of 2009), I have to say that I got a great education at a great price. I went there as an out-of-state student which cost my parents less than if I had gone to my own state school (Rutgers).

As a graduate student now, I have really begun to realize how great the education that I received actually was. My 3 years at Binghamton were fantastic (despite the lack of sun!) and I would not have changed anything about it! It was (is) a great school at a great price!

[Andrew Wojtkowski]

10:56 AM on 01/21/2011

What do they define as "Total Cost?"

My University surely did not cost $18,000 a year. Tuition & Fees were around $5000 per year and $5000 per year in an apartment/dorm/etc. That's $10,000. You figure tack on $1k per year on books... $11,000. I have NO idea where they got $18,000 from.

Nevertheless, we made Top 50!

[helgathewitch]

12:38 AM on 01/20/2011

University of Connecticut should have made the list. Great school, low tuition in state and out.
Great campus, great activities, great sports

[spartanmom]

07:14 PM on 01/13/2011

My two alma maters made it! Mind you, when I went to Geneseo, we spent more time in the "Rat" than in class.

[bluejoni2525]

04:43 PM on 01/13/2011

My son goes to The College of New Jersey which is a great school they call it the "public ivy". It wouldn't make this list because despite it being public NJ state colleges are the most expensive in the country, still far cheaper than a private college.

[goodnewsgophers]

05:36 PM on 01/12/2011

I go to Binghamton, and I absolutely love it. They never advertise because people apply based on word of mouth, really. In my four years here, it feels like it is getting more and more competitive here, and the academic options just keep on growing.

Binghamton is a great public school because it really does offer such an abundance of things to do. It's not a commuter school, since the majority of students come from the tri-state area, and the campus life is thriving. Off-campus life is even better...solid parties, plenty of people.

[Malarcus]

03:11 PM on 01/10/2011

Clearly they neglected to take into account the fact that SUNY-Binghamton is located in Binghamton, NY, when naming SUNY-Binghamton one of the best valued public schools.

[spartanmom]

07:15 PM on 01/13/2011

Oh, god yes. The sun never, never shines there.

[goodnewsgophers]

10:38 PM on 01/13/2011

haters gon' hate

[ricetard]

01:34 PM on 01/10/2011

surprised CAL is not up there... should have similar cost as UCLA right?

anyway go UCLA!!

[Ramonio]

01:26 PM on 01/10/2011

PITT top 30, I'll take it.

[NYC69]

02:21 AM on 01/10/2011

$17,000 a year. best value?? seriously? lmao

[hagagaga]

06:33 PM on 01/09/2011

VMI should be on this list.

[DanSc]

12:36 PM on 01/09/2011

For someone who really needs the money, a need-blind private university is probably better than any of these schools.

[Tpy]

06:27 PM on 01/09/2011

It all depends; there is no single school that is "best" for all students. Many students thrive on the energy and broad set of strong academic departments available at good state universities, but can be more difficult to find at smaller private schools. After having attended both a small private university and a large public university, I can definitely count myself in that group.

If the cost comes out to about the same, then the need-blind private university probably isn't the better choice.

[holierdandao]

07:48 PM on 01/09/2011

Incorrect. As someone who just went through the admissions process and happens to be low-income and happens to go to one of these schools (UNC), I can tell you that some elite state-schools are 100% need-blind and promise to meet your entire need. Just go on the admissions sites for UVA or UNC--you'll be quite surprised. Also, I got into one of those need-blind private universities too (Notre Dame). UNC was the better deal (I'm also out of state).

[Arrive2 net]

04:21 AM on 01/08/2011

Because of differences in the individual financial aid package a student might get, the student has to look at that rather than averages to get the best value. None the less the student might look at a list like this to evaluate candidates. Going to community college the first two years, and/or living at home (where those options are available) could save more money. I'd want to look especially at the average debt level at graduation data in the Kiplinger article, there is quite a range even in those rating in the top 100 values.

Bernard Schuster
Arrive2.net
Twitter.com/arrive2_net

[ThereGoesEvan]

05:54 PM on 01/07/2011

Go Bruins!

[Luke Thompson]

12:56 PM on 01/07/2011

Hark the sound.