THE FORBES TOP 100 BEST BUY COLLEGES 2012

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1 best buy colleges 2012 lo_layout 1 8/2/12 8:25 AM Page 1 SPECIAL REPORT THE TOP 100 BEST BUY COLLEGES 2012 Which Colleges Offer The Biggest Bang For Your Buck? Paying for your kids college education can be a daunting financial burden. Imagine for example, how much Rob and Carol Brady of the Brady Bunch would have to spend today if they were sending their brood to college. Absent any financial aid, it would probably amount to $1.5 million.. No surprise then with per student four year costs hovering around a quarter of a million dollars that return-on-investment or ROI is front of mind in many households. Our Top 100 Best Buy Colleges are calculated by taking their overall quality rank on Forbes annual list of America s Top Colleges and dividing that number by the school s tuition (in-state where applicable) and additional fees. Our quality rank assesses each school in the areas of teaching, career prospects, graduation rates and the levels of debt graduates tend to amass. The zero-cost service academies occupy the top three spots: West Point #1, the Air Force Academy #2, and the Naval Academy #3. In addition, there are many low cost college options for incoming college students who do not want to join the military. New York City s Cooper Union, which grants full scholarships to all students, snags the #4 slot. Other enticing best buys in the top ten include the College of the Ozarks (#5), Berea College (#7) and the of Florida (#10). THESE RANKINGS ARE PROVIDED EXCLUSIVELY TO BY THE CENTER FOR COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY, A WASHINGTON D.C. THINK TANK FOUNDED BY OHIO UNIVERSITY ECONOMIST RICHARD VEDDER. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT THE OVERALL RANKINGS 1

2 best buy colleges 2012 lo_layout 1 8/2/12 8:25 AM Page 2 United States Military Academy Brigham Young 1. United States Military Academy LOCATION: WEST POINT, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 4, United States Air Force Academy LOCATION: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 4, United States Naval Academy LOCATION: ANNAPOLIS, MD UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 4, Cooper Union LOCATION: NEW YORK, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 927 TOTAL COST: $56, College of the Ozarks (MO) LOCATION: POINT LOOKOUT, MO UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 1,377 TOTAL COST: $26, United States Merchant Marine Academy LOCATION: KINGS POINT, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 1,011 TOTAL COST: $7, Berea College LOCATION: BEREA, KY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 1,661 TOTAL COST: $9, United States Coast Guard Academy LOCATION: NEW LONDON, CT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 1, Brigham Young LOCATION: PROVO, UT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 30,684 TOTAL COST: $16, of Florida LOCATION: GAINESVILLE, FL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 32,598 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,257 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $41, of Wyoming LOCATION: LARAMIE, WY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 10,163 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $17,174 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $25, Brigham Young, Idaho LOCATION: REXBURG, ID UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 18,110 TOTAL COST: $13, of North Carolina, Chapel Hill LOCATION: CHAPEL HILL, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 18,430 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,315 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $41, Florida State LOCATION: TALLAHASSEE, FL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 32,210 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,372 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $35, New College of Florida LOCATION: SARASOTA, FL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 845 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,058 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $42,087 of Mississippi 16. Utah State LOCATION: LOGAN, UT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 23,279 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $16,760 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $27, of Utah LOCATION: SALT LAKE CITY, UT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 24,297 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,982 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $36, of Mississippi LOCATION: OXFORD, MS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 15,346 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,852 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $28, California Polytechnic State, San Luis Obispo LOCATION: SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 17,725 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,478 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $34, CUNY, Baruch College LOCATION: NEW YORK, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 14,266 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $25,308 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $31, of North Carolina, Asheville LOCATION: ASHEVILLE, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 3,814 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $16,810 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $30, SUNY, Binghamton LOCATION: BINGHAMTON, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 11,861 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,026 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29,136 2

3 best buy colleges 2012 lo_layout 1 8/2/12 8:25 AM Page 3 San Diego State SUNY Stony Brook of Central Florida 23. San Diego State LOCATION: SAN DIEGO, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 25,796 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,756 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $34, California Maritime Academy LOCATION: VALLEJO, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 886 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $22,778 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $33, Louisiana State LOCATION: BATON ROUGE, LA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 23,977 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,414 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $32, of North Florida LOCATION: JACKSONVILLE, FL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 14,363 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,057 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $32, CUNY, Queens College LOCATION: FLUSHING, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 16,559 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,449 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, North Carolina State, Raleigh LOCATION: RALEIGH, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 25,176 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,388 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $32, SUNY, Stony Brook LOCATION: STONY BOOK, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 15,785 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,336 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, West Virginia LOCATION: MORGANTOWN, WV UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 22,711 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $16,874 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, CUNY, Brooklyn College LOCATION: BROOKLYN, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 13,096 TOTAL COST): N/A 32. Appalachian State LOCATION: BOONE, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 15,460 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $15,948 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $27, of Idaho LOCATION: MOSCOW, ID UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 9,586 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,100 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $31, of Washington LOCATION: SEATTLE, WA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 29,022 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $24,059 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $41, Mississippi State LOCATION: STARKVILLE, MS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 16,312 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,975 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $28, of Central Florida LOCATION: ORLANDO, FL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 49,972 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $19,158 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $34, of North Carolina, Wilmington LOCATION: WILMINGTON, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 11,950 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $17,332 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, James Madison LOCATION: HARRISONBURG, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 17,900 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,214 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $34, of Virginia LOCATION: CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 15,762 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,986 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $48, of South Florida LOCATION: TAMPA, FL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 29,975 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,590 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, of Montana LOCATION: MISSOULA, MT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 13,370 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $18,172 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $32,550 3

4 best buy colleges 2012 lo_layout 1 8/2/12 8:25 AM Page 4 East Carolina Texas A&M, College Station of Maryland, College Park 42. East Carolina LOCATION: GREENVILLE, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 21,589 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $18,828 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $31, of North Carolina, Greensboro LOCATION: GREENSBORO, NC UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 14,898 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $17,904 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $30, of Arkansas LOCATION: FAYETTEVILLE, AR UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,027 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,464 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $30, of California, Los Angeles LOCATION: LOS ANGELES, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 27,199 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $31,556 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $54, SUNY, Geneseo LOCATION: GENESEO, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 5,485 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,485 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, of Colorado, Boulder LOCATION: BOULDER, CO UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 26,530 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $27,236 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $48, Texas A&M, College Station LOCATION: COLLEGE STATION, TX UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 39,867 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,723 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $36, of California, Berkeley LOCATION: BERKELEY, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 25,885 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $32,632 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $55, of Georgia LOCATION: ATHENS, GA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 26,373 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,820 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $39, SUNY, Buffalo LOCATION: BUFFALO, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,334 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,151 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $30, Georgia Institute of Technology LOCATION: ATLANTA, GA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 13,948 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,098 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $39, The of Texas at Austin LOCATION: AUSTIN, TX UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 38,437 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $24,714 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $47, SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry LOCATION: SYRACUSE, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 2,167 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,597 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $31, of Maryland, College Park LOCATION: COLLEGE PARK, MD UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 26,826 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $22,632 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $40, of North Carolina, Charlotte LOCATION: COLLEGE PARK, MD UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 20,283 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $18,260 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $30, Texas Tech LOCATION: LUBBOCK, TX UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 26,063 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,753 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $28, SUNY, Albany LOCATION: ALBANY, NY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 12,755 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,762 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $28, Colorado State LOCATION: FORT COLLINS, CO UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 23,075 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,482 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $36,182 4

5 best buy colleges 2012 lo_layout 1 8/2/12 8:25 AM Page 5 Louisiana Tech of Oklahoma, Norman Jackson State 60. of Iowa LOCATION: IOWA CITY, IA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 21,564 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $21,120 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $38, Jackson State LOCATION: JACKSON, MS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 6,844 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $18,746 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $26, of Wisconsin, Madison LOCATION: MADISON, WI UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 29,880 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,449 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $38, Indiana, Bloomington LOCATION: BLOOMINGTON, IN UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 32,543 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,049 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $42, of Oregon LOCATION: EUGENE, OR UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 20,623 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $22,052 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $40, College of William and Mary LOCATION: WILLIAMSBURG, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 6,071 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $24,974 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $47, of Mary Washington LOCATION: FREDERICKSBURG, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 4,464 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,480 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $33, Louisiana Tech LOCATION: RUSTON, LA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 9,109 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $16,390 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $23, Virginia Tech LOCATION: BLACKSBURG, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 23,700 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,869 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $37, Western Washington LOCATION: BELLINGHAM, WA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 13,783 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,789 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $31, Oklahoma State LOCATION: STILLWATER, OK UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,136 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,787 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $32, of Southern Mississippi LOCATION: HATTIESBURG, MS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 13,618 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $18,426 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $26, of Michigan, Ann Arbor LOCATION: ANN ARBOR, MI UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 27,407 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $25,204 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $50, of Oklahoma, Norman LOCATION: NORMAN, OK UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 20,495 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,493 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $33, Auburn LOCATION: AUBURN, AL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 20,446 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $22,352 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $36, of Alabama LOCATION: TUSCALOOSA, AL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 26,234 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,939 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $37, Purdue, West Lafayette LOCATION: WEST LAFAYETTE, IN UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 31,988 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,748 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $40, of Arizona LOCATION: TUCSON, AZ UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 30,665 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,366 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $38, Truman State LOCATION: KIRKSVILLE, MO UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 5,780 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $18,998 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $24, of South Dakota LOCATION: VERMILLION, SD UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 7,473 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $18,852 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $20,567 5

6 best buy colleges 2012 lo_layout 1 8/2/12 8:25 AM Page 6 of Tennessee, Knoxville Towson of Missouri, Columbia 80. of Tennessee, Knoxville LOCATION: KNOXVILLE, TN UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 21,214 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,571 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $40, George Mason LOCATION: FAIRFAX, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 20,782 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,856 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $39, Iowa State LOCATION: AMES, IA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 24,343 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $18,521 TOTAL COST (OUT-OF-STATE): $30, Ohio State, Columbus LOCATION: COLUMBUS, OH UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 42,916 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $26,871 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $41, Arizona State LOCATION: TEMPE, AZ UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 58,404 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $25,548 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $38, Oregon State LOCATION: CORVALLIS, OR UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 20,620 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,475 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $35, Old Dominion LOCATION: NORFOLK, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,367 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $19,237 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $30, Towson LOCATION: TOWSON, MD UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 17,517 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $22,028 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $33, Montana Tech of the of Montana LOCATION: BUTTE, MT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 1,925 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $17,844 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $29, Kansas State LOCATION: MANHATTAN, KS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,385 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $19,629 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $31, of California, San Diego LOCATION: LA JOLLA, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 23,046 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $29,506 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $52, of Kansas LOCATION: LAWRENCE, KS UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,695 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $21,802 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $35, of California, Irvine LOCATION: IRVINE, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 22,004 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $29,425 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $52, Texas Woman s LOCATION: DENTON, TX UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 8,330 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $15,749 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $23, of Missouri, Columbia LOCATION: COLUMBIA, MO UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 25,992 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $21,874 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $34, of Nebraska, Lincoln LOCATION: LINCOLN, NE UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 19,345 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $20,201 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $32, Murray State LOCATION: MURRAY, KY UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 8,664 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $18,607 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $29, of Connecticut LOCATION: STORRS, CT UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 17,815 TOTAL COST (IN STATE): $25,220 TOTAL COST (OUT OF STATE): $42, of California, Santa Barbara LOCATION: SANTA BARBARA, CA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 18,620 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $31,691 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $54, of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign LOCATION: CHAMPGAIN, IL UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 32,256 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $27,628 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $41, Virginia Military Institute LOCATION: LEXINGTON, VA UNDERGRADUATE POPULATION: 1,605 TOTAL COST (IN-STATE): $23,305 TOTAL COAST (OUT-OF-STATE): $41,745 6