UMD Rises Again Among Best Values in Public Education

The University of Maryland has continued its impressive rise in Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine's annual ranking of the 100 Best Values in Public Colleges -- ranking 5th among four-year institutions for providing outstanding education at an affordable price. This is a significant rise from 8th place in 2010; 9th in 2009; and 28th in 2008. Equally impressive is Maryland's 6th place ranking for out-of-state value. The university advanced from 11th in 2010.

According to the magazine, "Maryland has held the line on costs, keeping the total for in-state students to $19,040 (tuition, room, board and books), only a few hundred dollars over last year's cost. The school's proximity to Washington, D.C., its engineering and journalism programs, and its top athletic program are among the strengths that keep Maryland on a winning streak."

University of Maryland President Wallace Loh noted, "We are pleased to be recognized nationally for what our students and prospective students, and their families, have long known: Renowned academic programs, amazing out-of-classroom experiences, and affordable cost provide a value that is quite hard to beat."

Maryland was selected from a pool of more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities. The magazine ranked each according to academic quality, including admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios and four- and six-year graduation rates, as well as on cost and financial aid. The annual public school rankings appear in Kiplinger's February issue and are available online.

During the past year, Maryland has received significant recognition by several other national publications, including The Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. The WSJ ranked the university 8th in its 2010 listing of Top Recruiter Picks (the Clark School of Engineering ranked 3rd) -- praising Maryland's focus on teaching practical skills, plentiful pipeline of graduates, and eagerness to forge corporate partnerships. And Newsweek Education named Maryland to the 15th spot on its 2010 list of Most Desirable Large Campuses.