U.S. News: Best Values - Liberal Arts Colleges (2009)

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Amherst College

Williams College

Pomona College

Wellesley College

Grinnell College

Swarthmore College

Middlebury College

Smith College

Macalester College

Claremont McKenna College

Colgate University

Wabash College

Carleton College

Bowdoin College

Lyon College

Agnes Scott College

Centre College

Hamilton College

Vassar College

Haverford College

Harvey Mudd College

Mount Holyoke College

Trinity College

Wesleyan University

Bryn Mawr College

Cornell College

University of Richmond

DePauw University

Oberlin College

Wofford College

Transylvania University

Thomas Aquinas College

Reed College

Austin College

Barnard College

Occidental College

Beloit College

Washington and Lee University

Colorado College

Bates College

Source: U.S. News

Methodology:

These rankings were based on three variables:

 

1. Ratio of quality to price: A school’s overall score in the America’s Best Colleges 2009 edition of the rankings was divided by the 2007-2008 academic year net cost to a student receiving the average need-based scholarship or grant. The higher the ratio of a school’s America’s Best Colleges 2009 edition rank to the discounted total cost less the average 2007-2008 academic year need-based scholarship or grant, the better the value. Total cost equals the sum of 2007-2008 academic year tuition, room and board, fees, books, and other expenses, including transportation.

 

2. Percentage of all undergraduates receiving need-based scholarships or grants during the 2007-2008 academic year.

 

3. Average discount: percentage of a school’s 2007-2008 total costs (tuition, room and board, fees, books, and other expenses) covered by the 2007-2008 academic year average need-based scholarship or grant to undergraduates.

 

Note: In the case of public institutions, 2007-2008 out-of-state tuition and percentage of out-of-state students receiving need-based scholarship or grants were used in all calculations.

 

Only those schools ranked in, or near, the top half of their America’s Best Colleges categories were considered. The schools’ overall Best Values ranks were determined by first standardizing the scores achieved by every school in each of the three above variables and weighting those scores. The ratio of quality to price accounted for 60 percent of the overall score; the percentage of all undergraduates receiving need-based grants accounted for 25 percent; and the average discount accounted for 15 percent. The school with the highest total weighted points became No. 1 in its category. The other schools were then ranked in descending order. Schools with the same rank are tied.