December 11, 2013 | Tom Breen - UConn Communications

UConn Named a 2013-2014 Best-Value Public College by Kiplinger’s

For the second year in a row, UConn is in the Top 25 of the influential journal’s list of public colleges providing the best value for students.

The University of Connecticut has been named #25 on the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s list of 100 best values in public colleges for 2013-2014, marking the second consecutive year the University’s combination of outstanding education and economic value have earned that spot.

“This is a gratifying recognition of how seriously the University of Connecticut takes its responsibility to provide our students with a world-class education while understanding the economic challenges many families are facing today,” President Susan Herbst said. “We’re glad to be acknowledged for our commitment to keeping UConn affordable while maintaining a first-rate academic experience for our students.”

Two years ago, UConn was ranked at #30 on the annual list, and was at #32 the year before that.

According to the magazine, its process begins with data on more than 500 public institutions. The schools are sorted based on measures of quality – such as the admission rate, the test scores of incoming freshmen, and four- and six-year graduation rates.

Data on cost is then added – including tuition, fees, and room and board, as well as financial aid for in-state and out-of-state students – creating combined criteria based on both quality and affordability. Many schools have appeared on the list multiple times, including UConn, a testament to the consistent value these colleges provide.

“The college landscape today is very different – tuition increases and student debt dominate the national conversation surrounding higher education,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. “This year’s top 100 schools have made admirable strides to maintain academic integrity and standards while meeting the financial needs of their students.”

The annual public school rankings appear in Kiplinger’s February 2014 issue – on newsstands Dec. 31, 2013 – and online now at kiplinger.com/links/college. Web visitors will find special features, including a tool that lets readers sort by in-state and out-of-state cost, average debt at graduation, and admission rate; a slide show of the top 10 schools; archives of previous years’ rankings, and an FAQ about the ranking methodology.