Kiplinger Lists McDaniel College as a 'Best Value'

McDaniel College is among the top liberal arts colleges named a “Best Value” by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, and the only Maryland liberal arts college to make the list.

The rankings are available online at http://www.kiplinger.com/links/college, and will be published in the magazine’s December issue (on newsstands Tuesday, Nov. 6).

Kiplinger lists 100 colleges and 100 universities that provide strong academics and affordability. Colleges and universities are assessed based on cost and financial aid, competitiveness, academic support, graduation rates, and student indebtedness. 

According to Kiplinger’s, “All 100 [liberal arts] schools on our list offer the academic quality and affordability that meet our definition of value. The colleges were ranked according to various factors, including four-year graduation rate, student debt at graduation and low class size.” 

At McDaniel, 90 percent of first-year students receive merit and/or need-based financial aid to offset the sticker price (tuition, fees, books, room and board), according to a McDaniel news release. The current freshmen class includes a record number of students of color and almost 40 percent are among the first-generation in their families to attend college the release reports.

McDaniel has been recognized in other publications as well. In addition to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, McDaniel was listed in the first tier of national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News. One of the 254 liberal arts colleges in Washington Monthly’s annual college rankings, McDaniel was sixth in the nation for the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC). McDaniel was also recognized nationally among 40 “Colleges That Change Lives.”

“McDaniel continues to gain national recognition and visibility as one of the leading liberal arts colleges in the country," Dr. Roger N. Casey, president of McDaniel College, said in a statement. "Access is another hallmark of the college and we continue to attract the best and brightest students regardless of their financial circumstances.”

For more information about McDaniel College, visit www.mcdaniel.edu.