MADISON (WKOW) -- The Princeton Review says a college education at UW is one of the top 10 best values in the nation. UW officials say it's great news on campus.
The latest Princeton Review ranking gives UW Madison high marks, as the 5th best value in the nation.
"It's a satisfying recognition of the efforts of what's been going on," says UW Provost Paul DeLuca.
To create the list, the agency weighs data and surveys on academics, costs and financial aid. UW students say they're getting that best value thanks to lower tuition rates.
"It's a flagship university...it's a good value," says UW Freshman Jake Boden.
But DeLuca says it's not just low costs that put the university near the top.
"It's the breadth of the programs, the type of programs, the quality, the retention rate, the graduation rate," he says.
The best value list includes 75 public colleges. UW Madison is the only one in the Big 10 listed in the country's top 10.
For it's size, the UW has a high graduation rate, at 85 percent. DeLuca says that means the school has been successful, both in recruiting the best students and by providing them with a great education.
"The fact is we're doing better than we ever have in the past and we're delighted with that," says DeLuca.
The rankings are often a guide for prospective students to save money when picking out a college. DeLuca expects more applications as people seek the UW's new best value status.
At the top of the public college list is University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. To see the full public and private rankings for The Princeton Review's Best Value Colleges, click here.
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MADISON (WKOW) -- The Princeton Review has released its annual college rankings, and UW-Madison is in the top 10 "Best Value Colleges" for 2012.
UW has been named the fifth best public college in the nation, based on undergraduate academics, costs, and financial aid. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill took the top spot, followed by the University of Virginia in second place.
The Princeton Review looked at college data and student opinion surveys collected from Fall 2010 through Fall 2011. The organization also considered the percentage of graduating seniors who borrowed from loan programs, and their average debt at graduation.
To see the full public and private rankings for The Princeton Review's Best Value Colleges, click here.
Tonight on 27 News, Jennifer Kliese will have more on what these rankings mean for students and UW officials.
