"…Every year, the Fiske Guide to Colleges releases a ranking of the 10 “best-buy” public and the 10 “best-buy” private colleges.
Here are the 20 schools that came out on top for 2019:" …
Another list, FWIW.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/19/the-20-best-value-colleges-of-2019.html
I’m amazed that Beloit isn’t on that list. It’s got such great spirit and the FA seems terrific.
If only tuition and fees were the only costs of attendance. With lists like this one providing misleading figures with no qualifiers or definitions, it’s no wonder people have sticker shock when they see an all-in cost.
I’m surprised neither Deep Springs nor a single military academy made the list. It’s hard to beat a fully funded education for “best value.” These colleges aren’t for everyone, admittedly, but that’s no reason to exclude them.
It’s also surprising that Warren Wilson made the list but other Work Colleges like Berea (which has a much lower net cost after fin aid) did not.
I am surprised Evergreen College made the list. From the news that has been coming out about them one wonders if they will survive.
I just went to the list of colleges’ financial health list, and they list a thousand colleges, but alphabetically it goes right from Everglades U. to Fairfield U. – Evergreen College isn’t even listed in a pretty comprehensive list. I wonder why.
In any case, I’d think that a list of best value colleges should include financial health of said colleges. Schools with C’s and worse are headed for trouble, and I wouldn’t want to go to a college that will have to restructure/significantly raise tuition or even threaten to have to shutter its doors.
@JenJenJenJen The full name of the school is actually “Evergreen State College”. And there’s your answer. The Forbes listing of colleges for financial health only addresses private schools.
The concept of “financial health” is different for state schools, like Evergreen State or UW or Washington State, since they are financially subsidized by state governments. There is a default assumption that a US state is not going to let its state colleges or universities go bankrupt, even if they run at a financial loss. In fact, state universities are typically expected to run at a financial loss; they normally offer heavily discounted tuition rates to state residents, with state funding making up the difference.
Of course, a US state could decide to reorganize its state college system, reallocate funding to different campuses, or open or close campuses as it sees fit. It is entirely possible that Evergreen could be affected by such changes in the future. But those are political considerations that don’t show up on a financial balance sheet.
That is very helpful, @Corbett , thank you!
I doubt that a lot of thought went into this particular list. You could maybe excuse the absence of Deep Springs though. The first paragraph of the article specifically discusses the value of a bachelor’s degree, which implies that the focus is on four-year colleges. Deep Springs is a junior college, and does not issue bachelor’s degrees.
@Dustyfeathers me too!
@Dustyfeathers “I’m amazed that Beloit isn’t on that list. It’s got such great spirit and the FA seems terrific.”
Maybe college niche knows something we don’t? They have them ranked in best value colleges #422 out of 1,592 lol
University of Iowa is a good one on this list. I’ve heard that it’s kind of a hidden gem in the Midwest, especially since it tends to get a bit overshadowed by more well known flagship state U’s such as Nebraska, Michigan, Michigan State, Kansas, Oklahoma, etc…
@JenJenJenJen : I agree that financial health grades for private schools is important. If included in the book Colleges That Change Lives, I think that many would think differently about that book.
With respect to public universities, a financial health grade should also be given based on the financial health of the state & how the state funds its colleges & universities.
Great point @JenJenJenJen & @Corbett valuable insights.
Yay for Mt Holyoke, where our daughter is attending. For the first time we have 2 kids in college this year so the “meets 100% of demonstrated financial need” is important. As the description says, their academics are rigorous. Their merit awards are generous, and as the headline photo shows, it’s a beautiful campus too.
Hmm…crossed Rice off our list because when I plugged in NPC, it was very pricy.
10 best value colleges of 2019
University of Arizona
Evergreen State College
University of Florida
University of Iowa
New College of Florida
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Purdue University
SUNY–Binghamton University
Texas A&M University
Truman State University
I’d like to see the best value if you have to pay out of pocket. My eldest did choose SUNY Bing partially because of the value.
Best value lists are really helpful for families who doesn’t get enough aid or scholarship or doesn’t get it at colleges they prefer.
My daughter really really liked Iowa. Great campus, great spirit (the Wave to Children’s Hospital at football quarter-time!), the town, the programs, the 20,000-ish size. And they just really seem to have their act together–every step of the way. With guaranteed merit for stats and additional FA, Iowa’s offer put D’s COA way less than UIUC (our instate option). If University of San Diego hadn’t stolen her heart at the last minute (location, location, location!) U of Iowa would have been her choice, over St. Olaf, Denison, U Minnesota TC, and a half dozen more.
And the Hawkeye logo is the best of the bunch, don’t you think?
My daughter attends Mount Holyoke, and with her financial aid it cost just a little more than U-Mass Amherst, so worked out great for us, we are solid middle class.