UNCW has jumped to number 15 on Kiplinger’s 2012 list of the top 100 public universities across the country providing the best value for students and their families.
The school has held the 27th spot for the last two years. WHQR’s Michelle Bliss reports that the ratings are published in the personal finance magazine’s February issue.
According to the list, UNCW is the second best value for public education in North Carolina, behind UNC Chapel Hill, which has held the number one spot in both the state and nation for eleven consecutive years.
The magazine evaluates schools on their sticker prices, financial aid offerings, post-graduation debt averages, and student retention rates among other criteria.
Just last month, UNCW’s Board of Trustees approved a 6.5 percent tuition increase for the 2012-2013 school year.
Along with that increase, the board is also factoring in what’s called a “peer alignment” that adjusts the tuition rate in comparison to UNCW’s national peer schools.
If the changes are approved by the UNC Board of Governors, in-state undergraduate tuition will increase by $600.
