Best College Values

A Special Report from Kiplinger

TOOL See Our Complete Rankings

View the top 100 public colleges for 2009-10, and sort the schools by several measures.
SLIDE SHOW: Top Ten Values in Public Colleges

READER POLL Vote for Your Best Value in a Public College

We picked our top 100 using several criteria. Which public college would be your number-one pick for value?

CALL FOR VIDEOS: Bring your favorite public college to life for fellow Kiplinger readers by creating and posting your original campus video to YouTube and then to Kiplinger's page on Facebook. Selected videos may be featured on Kiplinger.com.

PROFILE Maryland on the Fast Track

The school jumped from number 28 in our 2008 rankings to number 8 in 2010 by keeping in-state costs virtually unchanged while improving on quality.

Best Values in Private Colleges 2009-10

Our top 100 schools, led by Pomona College among liberal-arts colleges and the California Institute of Technology among universities, provide a quality education at an affordable price.

SLIDE SHOW: Top Ten Values in Private Universities
SLIDE SHOW: Top Ten Values in Liberal Arts Colleges

TOOL See Our Complete Rankings of Private Colleges

View the top 50 private liberal arts colleges and top 50 private universities, and sort the schools by several measures.
PROFILE: Why Davidson Scores Big

Find the Right Match for You

All our picks offer great value, but you�ll get the most out of the rankings if you look for the features that match your circumstances. Here�s how to find the right school for your student and maybe get some help paying for it.

POLL: Vote for Your Best Value in a Private University

We used hard statistics to produce our annual rankings. Now it's your turn to decide which private university is number one for value?

POLL: Vote for Your Best Value in a Liberal Arts College

We picked our top 50 using several criteria. Which liberal arts college would be your number-one pick for value?

SPECIAL REPORT: Paying for College

Learn more about financial aid, scholarships and other ways to help cover the tuition bills.

QUIZ: Test Your Knowledge of Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid can seem as daunting as taking college-entrance exams. Whether you're a parent or a college-bound student, our quiz will help you understand the process better.