Kiplinger’s, one of the nation’s most respected personal finance publications, has named Louisiana Tech University one of the Top 100 Best Values in Public Colleges for 2008-09.

The rankings list Louisiana Tech at #93 and as one of only two institutions in the state. Louisiana State University is listed at #47.

“Louisiana Tech has built a strong reputation for offering students an exceptional educational value that goes far beyond the classroom,” says Dr. Dan Reneau, president of Louisiana Tech University. “We are delighted that Kiplinger’s has recognized our efforts.”

Kiplinger’s bases its college rankings on several measures of academic quality including SAT (ACT) scores, admission rates, freshman retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates.

Each school is then evaluated based on cost and financial aid factors such as total cost for in-state students, average cost for students with and without need, average percentage of need met by aid, and average debt a student accumulates before graduation. Out-of-state rankings are calculated using total costs for out-of-state residents and average costs after aid.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill topped the 2008-09 list followed by the University of Florida, University of Virginia, University of Georgia, and the College of William and Mary.

“Value is about exceeding expectations,” says Reneau. “Louisiana Tech has been successful in this area and will continue to look for ways to provide the best possible value for our students.”

Written by Dave Guerin