Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine has included the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) on its "100 Best Values in Public Colleges" for the eighth year running -- based on its cost and educational offerings.
Kiplinger compiles data on more than 600 public, four-year schools each year to determine which institutions will make the list, weighing cost as 45 percent of each school's score and weighing quality with the remaining 55 percent.
Factors considered in the schools' scores include those related to academic quality -- like SAT and ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty rations and graduation rates -- and those related to cost.
In addition, the magazine examines tuition, mandatory fees, room and board and books, as well as factors like average cost for students with and without need, percentage of the average cost met by aid and percentage of students who borrow, amongst other factors. Kiplinger releases rankings for in-state and out-of-state students.
Factors considered in the schools' scores include those related to academic quality -- like SAT and ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty rations and graduation rates -- and those related to cost.
In addition, the magazine examines tuition, mandatory fees, room and board and books, as well as factors like average cost for students with and without need, percentage of the average cost met by aid and percentage of students who borrow, amongst other factors. Kiplinger releases rankings for in-state and out-of-state students.
For the 2017 rankings, UMass Amherst earned the 46th position for best value for Massachusetts residents and the 52nd spot for best value for out-of-state students. In both cases, the university has improved upon last year's scores, earning positions a full 10 places higher in both categories.
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