Issue: Winter 2014 | Posted: January 27, 2014
Union draws national attention for combining quality with value
Kiplinger's Personal Finance has included Union University on its list of the country's best values in private colleges.
Kiplinger's annual list ranks the best 100 private universities and the best 100 private liberal arts colleges. Union ranked 77th on the university list.
"To be included in Kiplinger's list of 100 top private universities in the country means much to the entire Union University community," Union President David S. Dockery said. "The listing not only points to high quality academic offerings at Union, but to value, affordability and accessibility. All of us at Union University are highly honored by and deeply grateful for this important recognition."
Union and the other schools included in the 2014 lists represent the colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost during tough economic times, Kiplinger's said. The colleges exemplify the attributes parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate. Many schools, including Union, have appeared on the list multiple times.
Although private schools generally carry higher sticker prices than in-state prices at public schools, private schools can actually be cheaper than public schools because of their generous financial aid. Of the 100 schools on the list, only five had a lower cost than Union.
Yale University topped the list. Vanderbilt ranked 11th and Belmont University 96th, meaning Union was one of only three Tennessee universities to make the ranking. At 77th, Union outranked schools such as Syracuse, Tulane and Xavier.
Among CCCU member schools, Union joined Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), Whitworth University (Wash.) and Bethel (Minn.) in the ranking.
The full list is available online at kiplinger.com/links/college.
Union has found favor with rankings that combine academic quality with value and affordability.
For example, Union also ranked among America's 100 Best College Buys for a ninth consecutive year. An independent research firm compiles the list each year, ranking public and private institutions for a combination of academic quality and affordability.