Kiplinger ranks UNC best deal in the nation

Despite years of budget cuts and tuition hikes, UNC-CH is still ranked as the best deal nationwide among public universities.

The University remained at the top of Kiplinger’s “Best Values in Public Colleges” list in 2012 for in-state students, also topping the list for out-of-state students. UNC ranked as the best value for the 11th time since Kiplinger began ranking schools.

And even with University administrators proposing another substantial tuition increase of 15.6 percent for in-state students next year, UNC could maintain its ranking. The proposal would increase in-state tuition by at least $2,800 during the next five years.

Jane Bennett Clark, senior editor for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine and author of the article, said proposed tuition hikes might not necessarily lower the University’s future rankings.

“Pretty much all colleges have increased tuition,” she said. “It’s really hard to say whether one variable will impact the rankings.”

University Chancellor Holden Thorp said other schools at the top of Kiplinger’s rankings — such as the University of Virginia and The College of William & Mary — would continue to have higher tuition rates even after the proposed increase. Past tuition increases have also failed to negatively impact UNC’s rank, he said.

“I’m not concerned,” he said. “We have had a $950 increase (last year), which is larger than the proposed $800 increase.”

Bruce Carney, UNC’s executive vice chancellor and provost, said the University would also set aside enough money for financial aid to keep costs low for students.

Student indebtedness has decreased by more than $2,500 during the past decade at UNC, he said.

Kiplinger’s list of more than 100 public universities will be published in the magazine’s February issue, which is also available on its website.

A school’s value is determined by variables that constitute its academic quality and affordability, according to Kiplinger’s website. Variables include student retention rates, amount of financial aid awarded and the net cost of attending the university.

Clark said the rankings placed more emphasis on academic quality this year, including student retention and graduation rates.

The University has taken several measures to ensure its academic offerings have remained intact after losing more than $100 million in state funding last year, Thorp said.

“The prudent decisions that we’ve been able to make to protect our academic functions are part of the reason we have been able to maintain this ranking,” he said.

Other UNC-system schools ranked among the top 100 public universities in value for in-state students include UNC-Wilmington at 15, N.C. State University at 19, UNC School of the Arts at 41 and UNC-Asheville at 45.

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