'Kiplinger's' Names SU Among '100 Best Values in Public Colleges'

SALISBURY, MD---Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine has again named Salisbury University one of its “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.”

Featured in the February 2010 edition, SU and the other campuses listed “are noteworthy for their combination of top-flight academics and affordable costs,” the magazine said. Academic quality carries more weight in the formula Kiplinger’s uses.

Each institution receives two rankings based on several factors, including out-of-state and in-state costs. SU’s out-of-state ranking is 48th among the top 100, while its in-state ranking is 59th. More than 500 traditional four-year institutions nationwide are surveyed.

“In difficult economic times, the news that SU has once again placed among the top 100 schools is particularly welcome,” said SU Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Diane Allen. “This latest ranking confirms what we at Salisbury University have long known: Our outstanding faculty and thriving campus community provide a first-rate, yet affordable, education for students.”

The magazine based its rankings on several factors including admission rates, freshman retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates, among others.

SU is one of only four University System of Maryland campuses in the top 100. The others are the University of Maryland College Park, University of Maryland Baltimore County and Towson University. The list also includes the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the College of William and Mary and Purdue University.

The accolade is the latest addition to SU’s national rankings. For the 11th consecutive year, SU is one of The 371 Best Colleges by The Princeton Review. For the 13th consecutive year, SU was named one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top Public Universities—Master’s category (North), maintaining its status as the highest-placing public master’s-level university in Maryland. The Chronicle of Higher Education also recently named SU one of its 2009 “Great Colleges to Work For.”

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.