For the sixth straight time, Illinois State is ranked as one of 100 best values in public colleges in the country according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.
“Illinois State University has once again proven to be a high quality academic institution at an affordable price,” said President Al Bowman. “Our students, faculty and staff already know what Kiplinger’s has once again made apparent – we are one of the first-choice institutions in Illinois. To be in the company of some of the finest public institutions in the nation is one more indicator that we are achieving our goals through the University’s strategic plan, Educating Illinois.”
Illinois State ranked 89th on the list, up five spots from the November 2008 list. The University was one of only two in Illinois to make the list, with the second being the University of Illinois.
Kiplinger’s rankings are based on data provided by more than 500 public four-year colleges supplemented by the magazine’s independent research. Ranking measures include ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, the percentage of faculty with the highest degree in their field, how much each school spends on instruction for each student, how much each school spends on library facilities, and four-and six-year graduation rates.
Kiplinger’s then ranks each school on a combination of quality and cost components, including cost for in-state students (tuition, mandatory fees, room, board and estimated expenses for books and supplies), the average for each student with need after subtracting grants (but not loans), the average cost for a student without need after subtracting merit-based grants, the average percentage of need met by aid and the average debt a student accumulates prior to graduation.
Kiplinger’s places greater overall weight on quality, which accounts for about two-thirds of the final score, than on cost. Other institutions on the list include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Florida, University of Virginia and College of William and Mary. To see information about the selection, go to http://www.kiplinger.com/reports/best-college-values/.
