UT Dallas climbs 'valuable' list

The University of Texas at Dallas took another step up the education ladder recently, ranking 32nd in the nation on Kiplinger's annual list of top-value public universities. The school ranked 33rd a year ago.

Kiplinger looks at four-year graduation rates, admission rates, student-teacher ratios and the percentage of students who return for their second year. UT Dallas was commended for its low student debt at the time of graduation, high financial aid opportunities, low overall price and high four-year graduation rate.  Its student-to-faculty ratio is 21 to 1.

“We pride ourselves on attracting high-caliber students to learn and study here on our campus,” Richard Benson, UT Dallas president, said. “This recognition from Kiplinger’s as one of the top values in higher education reflects our efforts not only to provide students with excellent opportunities, but to do so at a great value."
 
Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's *Personal Finance* magazine, said the schools chosen for the list understand how to balance costs with quality education.

"There’s no way around it: College is expensive, and it’s going to stay that way for a long time," she said. "So, with our rankings — which weigh affordability alongside academic quality — our goal is to help students and their parents understand what’s really worth the price."

The University of Texas at Austin ranked 13th on the list, Texas A&M University placed 42nd, and Texas Tech University ranked 96th. Kiplinger considered a total of 1,200 schools.