Binghamton University again ranked among nation’s top college

BINGHAMTON, NY -- Binghamton University is once again ranked among the nation’s top best values in public colleges, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.

Binghamton is ranked No. 2 for out-of-state students, making it one of the most affordable university’s in the nation for non-New York students. Binghamton is also ranked twelfth for in-state students making it a top buy for New Yorkers. The annual public school rankings appear in Kiplinger's February 2012 issue on newsstands and online at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.

“Our goal is to provide the highest quality education to our students,” said Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger. “These rankings demonstrate that we are doing exactly that. Despite a challenging economy, we continue to do a good job of providing a great education at an accessible price.”

The Kiplinger’s rankings assess quality and affordability according to a number of measurable standards. This year, Kiplinger’s revamped the rankings to give more weight to academic value, such as the percentage of students who return for sophomore year and the four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include low sticker prices, abundant financial aid and low average debt at graduation. While the criteria have shifted, the overall focus on value remains the same.  Many schools have appeared on the list multiple times including Binghamton University, a testament to the consistent value these colleges provide.

According to Kiplinger’s, private colleges have recently averaged almost $39,000 a year - a sharp contrast to the public schools on the top 100 list, in which a third charge the same or less than the average annual in-state sticker price of roughly $17,000. Plus, the deals aren't restricted to in-state students. At Binghamton University, which is among the top values for out-of-state students, non-New Yorkers pay $27,136 a year.

Other public universities on Kiplinger’s top best values list include the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Florida, the University of Virginia, and the College of William and Mary.

Binghamton University has appeared regularly in the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance best values in public college rankings and consistently features among the elite top 50 public national universities in publications such as the U.S. News & World Report, the Fiske Guide to Colleges and the Princeton Review.