The University of Mary Washington has been recognized among the 2017 “Top 50 Best Value Colleges” by the online publication Value Colleges.
Ranked 25th among the top 50 institutions, UMW is one of three Virginia institutions included in the top 25, with James Madison University ranking 7th and the University of Virginia ranking 20th. According to Value Colleges, the platform provides “meticulously researched, straightforward, and practical answers to commonly asked questions about value and affordability when making college decisions,” with a focus on “clearing up misconceptions and confusion about college costs and benefits.”
Value Colleges ranked institutions based on College Scorecard, the database created by the Department of Education federal student loan program. Filters used in the search included “colleges at or below the national average cost, with a high graduation rate (better than 50%) and average graduate salary above the national average.” The search resulted in 250 colleges and universities that were then ranked by ROI, cost and reputation.
The recognition is the latest by selective college guidebooks to rank Mary Washington among the nation’s best, including the Princeton Review’s 2017 edition of “The Best 381 Colleges,” Forbes’ 2016 list of “America’s Top Colleges,” U.S. News and World Report’s “Top Public Regional Universities – South,” and the 2017 edition of Fiske Guide to Colleges.
For more information about the Value Colleges ranking, visit http://www.valuecolleges.com/rankings/best-value-colleges-2017/.