LEXINGTON, Ky.— Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has ranked Transylvania University as one of the nation’s best values for a liberal arts education.
The magazine’s Best College Values of 2017 weighs both academic excellence and cost criteria—such as sticker price, financial aid and debt. This ranking, which was released Thursday, comes on the heels of several other recognitions for Transylvania, including a top-10 spot in USA Today/College Factual’s Best Colleges for the Money and Washington Monthly’s Best Bang for the Buck in the South.
“Any way you look at it, Transylvania offers a top-notch liberal arts education at an affordable price,” said Holly Sheilley, vice president for enrollment and student life. “We understand the challenges families face in paying for college, so we strive to give them the best possible return on investment.”
In fact, Transylvania costs about $10,000 less than the average top-100 liberal arts college. Additionally, the average financial aid package for incoming students was $26,643 last year, and 98 percent of all students received aid that they didn’t have to pay back.
This kind of assistance is why Transylvania ranks 60th among the nation’s liberal arts schools in Kiplinger’s Best College Values of 2017.
“There’s no way around it: College is expensive, and it’s going to stay that way for a long time. So, with our rankings…our goal is to help students and their parents understand what’s really worth the price,” said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.