Austin College Ranked as ‘Best Value’ Among Private Institutions

Nov. 1, 2010 - PRLog -- SHERMAN, TEXAS —Austin College has been recognized by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as being one of the best values in private institutions. Austin College ranks 63 out of the top 100 liberal arts colleges nationwide for providing a high-quality education at an affordable price.

The annual Kiplinger 100 rankings appear in the December 2010 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine—on newsstands November 9. The rankings are available at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.

"Austin College long has served as a launch pad for graduates who have traveled abroad and, through a liberal arts education, honed their communication skills across cultural, professional, intellectual, and experiential divides,” said Austin College President Marjorie Hass. “While we don’t measure our success upon placement in rankings, we do appreciate the affirmation of our hard work in providing an outstanding education and supporting access for students.”

Schools are ranked on factors such as student-faculty ratio, amount of aid given through grants and scholarships, and cost after non-need based aid. Ranked schools were culled from a list of 600 private institutions provided by Peterson’s, and were ranked by academic quality and affordability, with quality accounting for two-thirds of the total.

According to a release from Kiplinger’s, the average cost of one year at a four-year private school has lately been about $36,000, according to the College Board, with the increase for 2010-2011 a relatively modest 4.5 percent. However, the net price—the cost after financial aid—puts the total out-of-pocket cost, on average, closer to $22,000.

“What’s more, some of the colleges on the Kiplinger rankings offer a net price below $20,000, making some of the best institutions in the world a downright bargain,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s.

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About Austin College

Austin College is a leading national independent liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Founded in 1849, making it the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original charter and name, the college is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA). Recognized nationally for academic excellence in the areas of international education, pre-professional training, and leadership studies, Austin College is one of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges that Change Lives.