Slide Show | January 2012
10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
By Jane Bennett Clark
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University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
The top-ten public colleges and universities on our list -- from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to the University of California, San Diego -- scored highest for value among that already select group.
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
1. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Caroline Culler
Student-faculty ratio: 14
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 76%; 6-yr., 90%
Total in-state cost: $17,628
Total out-of-state cost: $37,454
Average debt at graduation: $16,165
Notable alum: Jeff MacNelly (political cartoonist), Mia Hamm (soccer player), Charles Kuralt (journalist)
At the top of our rankings for the 11th consecutive time, UNC-Chapel Hill stands out on virtually every measure of quality and affordability, from its highly competitive admission rate (32%) and low student-faculty ratio to its strong graduation rates, moderate sticker price and generous financial aid -- an average of about $11,000 annually for students who qualify. UNC-Chapel Hill also ranks number one in value for out-of-state students. The average need-based aid for out-of-staters -- $11,080 -- reduces the total cost to $26,374. 1. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
2. University of Florida
Pedro Alcocer
Student-faculty ratio: 21
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 59%; 6-yr., 85%
Total in-state cost: $15,526
Total out-of-state cost: $37,803
Average debt at graduation: $16,013
Notable alum: Michael Connelly (novelist), Bob Vila (home repair TV personality)
Despite a 15% tuition increase over last year, Florida’s sticker price remains below the national average, and its average need-based aid cuts the price by almost half. Set on a 2,000-acre campus, UF comprises 16 colleges and more than 150 research centers. Among the products born of UF research: Gatorade. 2. University of Florida
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
3. University of Virginia
Karen Blaha
Student-faculty ratio: 16
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 85%; 6-yr., 93%
Total in-state cost: $21,626
Total out-of-state cost: $45,948
Average debt at graduation: $19,384
Notable alum: Katie Couric (journalist), Dawn Staley (Olympic gold medalist), Patrick G. Forrester (NASA astronaut)
This elite institution not only has a competitive admission rate (33%), but also the highest graduation rate. And it stands out for its generous financial aid: UVA is one of the two schools in our rankings that meet the full financial need of enrolled students (the other is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). Students who qualify for need-based aid pay an average annual cost of only $5,138. 3. University of Virginia
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
4. College of William and Mary
Tara Safaie
Student-faculty ratio: 12
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 82%; 6-yr., 90%
Total in-state cost: $23,054
Total out-of-state cost: $45,331
Average debt at graduation: $21,367
Notable alum: Thomas Jefferson (U.S. President), Robert Gates (former U.S. Secretary of Defense)
Alma mater of three U.S. presidents (Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler), this historic college, set in Williamsburg, Va., draws students for its academic excellence and liberal arts focus. Its competitive admittance rate, low student-faculty ratio and high grad rates have consistently kept W&M at the top of our rankings. Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s first academic Greek society, was founded here. 4. College of William and Mary
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
5. New College of Florida
New College of Florida
Student-faculty ratio: 10
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 57%; 6-yr., 68%
Total in-state cost: $15,458
Total out-of-state cost: $38,487
Average debt at graduation: $11,458
Notable alum: William Dudley (President, Federal Reserve Bank of NY), Jose Diaz-Balart (Telemundo news anchor)
A small, liberal-arts honors school overlooking Sarasota Bay in Sarasota, New College offers a low student-faculty ratio, a low sticker price and exceptional financial aid: Students who qualify for need-based aid pay only $5,316 a year. Student borrowers graduate with less than $12,000 in average debt, about half the national average for students. 5. New College of Florida
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
6. University of Georgia
Andrew Davis Tucker
Student-faculty ratio: 19
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 54%; 6-yr., 82%
Total in-state cost: $19,258
Total out-of-state cost: $37,468
Average debt at graduation: $15,938
Notable alum: John Campbell (U.S. Supreme Court Justice), Clark Howell (Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist)
This flagship university, in the music-centric town of Athens, knocks the average price down to $10,288 for students who qualify for need-based aid, and it keeps the average debt at graduation to a moderate $15,938. Virtually all the in-state freshmen at UGA benefit from the Hope scholarship, which covers about $3,182 per semester (about a third of the total tuition and fees). 6. University of Georgia
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
7. University of California, Berkeley
Student-faculty ratio: 17
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 69%; 6-yr., 91%
Total in-state cost: $29,027
Total out-of-state cost: $51,905
Average debt at graduation: $16,056
Notable alum: Steve Wozniak (co-founder, Apple Computer), Pauline Esther Friedman ("Dear Abby" advice columnist), Pauline Kael (film critic)
The cost may be pricier than many public colleges, but academic quality puts this UC school at the top of the rankings. Its 22% admit rate is the lowest on our list, and the test scores of incoming freshmen are among the highest. Located on the outskirts of San Francisco, Berkeley makes for a pretty nice place to go to school: All but 3% of freshmen return for sophomore year. The faculty includes eight Nobel Laureates, 32 MacArthur Fellows and four Pulitzer Prize winners. 7. University of California, Berkeley
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
8. University of Maryland, College Park
Tomf688 at en.wikipedia
Student-faculty ratio: 18
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 63%; 6-yr., 82%
Total in-state cost: $19,409
Total out-of-state cost: $36,780
Average debt at graduation: $22,696
Notable alum: Kevin Plank (founder of Under Armour), Sergey Brin (co-founder, Google), Jim Henson (creator, The Muppets)
This land-grant university located in the Washington, D.C., suburbs attracts top students from Maryland and across the country. Incoming freshmen have an average grade point average of about 4.0, and more than one-third of incoming freshmen score 700 or higher on their math SATs. Maryland recently introduced a residential learning program, called the Honors College, for high-achieving students. 8. University of Maryland, College Park
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
9. University of California, Los Angeles
Stephanie Diani
Student-faculty ratio: 17
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 68%; 6-yr., 90%
Total in-state cost: $28,174
Total out-of-state cost: $51,052
Average debt at graduation: $16,733
Notable Alum: Ralph Bunche (winner, Nobel Peace Prize), Marty Sklar (designer, Disney theme parks)
Like UC-Berkeley, UCLA has one of the most competitive admit rates (23%) on our list. Its total in-state cost of more than $28,000 is offset by an average need-based package of $12,777, bringing the cost after aid to a more affordable $15,397. This preeminent research institution attracted more than $1 billion in research grants and contracts in 2010. 9. University of California, Los Angeles
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
10. University of California, San Diego
University of California, San Diego
Student-faculty ratio: 19
Graduation rate: 4-yr., 57%; 6-yr., 86%
Total in-state cost: $26,232
Total out-of-state cost: $49,110
Average debt at graduation: $18,757
Notable alum: Craig Venter (Founder, Institute for Genomic Research), Khaled Hosseini (author)
UC-San Diego charges a lower sticker price than its sister schools in our top-ten rankings and delivers enough financial aid to bring the average cost after need-based aid to only $10,317. Near both the Mexican border and the Pacific Ocean, this top research institution gives students plenty of opportunity for expanding their horizons. And have we mentioned the great weather? 10. University of California, San Diego
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10 Top Values in Public Colleges, 2012
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