InstitutionalNews ReleasesRankings

New Paltz ranked as best value by Kiplinger’s

NEW PALTZ – The State University of New York at New Paltz is among the top 100 best values in the nation for public four-year institutions that deliver a high quality education at an affordable price, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s annual rankings for 2012-13.

New Paltz ranked 44th out of nearly 600 public 4-year institutions of higher education in the United States, climbing from 55th in the 2011-12 Kiplinger’s rankings. The ranking cites colleges that combine outstanding education with economic value.

“We appreciate the endorsement of such a venerable and well-respected financial publication as Kiplinger’s. It validates positive third party endorsements received from other national publications and underscores both the superior quality and financial accessibility of a SUNY New Paltz education, which are the foundation of its value,” said Vice President of Enrollment Management L. David Eaton.

“The report features schools that deliver a quality education at an affordable price,” said Jessica Weeg, a spokesperson for Kiplinger’s. “SUNY New Paltz placed in the top 100 thanks to its high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at graduation, abundant financial aid, a low sticker price, and overall great value.”

“We applaud this year’s top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

The annual public school rankings will appear in Kiplinger’s February 2013 issue, which will be available at newsstands and online at www.kiplinger.com/links/college on Jan. 1, 2013. New Paltz is among 9 SUNY campuses included on Kiplinger’s top 100 list.

Schools in the Kiplinger 100 were ranked according to standards including admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- year graduation rates. Cost criteria include “sticker” prices, financial aid availability, and average amounts of student debt incurred.

New Paltz is consistently ranked among the nation’s top public colleges in a variety of categories. In 2012, New Paltz was included in U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges,” The Princeton Review’s “Best Value Colleges,” and The Princeton Review’s “Guide to 322 Green Colleges.”