Money Magazine names Ripon College among most affordable private colleges

Ripon College has been recognized as one of the most affordable private colleges in the country by Money Magazine. Money ranked Ripon 26th of the 50 schools on its list and second among all private colleges in Wisconsin.

“These high quality private schools score best for affordability,” according to a statement at Money.com. “Thanks to generous financial aid packages or lower-than-average tuition — or a combination of both — the total cost of a four-year education [at these schools] is below average.”

Money says it determined which of the country’s roughly 1,500 four-year colleges and universities deliver the most value. Those included among the 50 most affordable privates “tend not to load students or parents up with burdensome debts, and all fall in the top half of MONEY’s overall rankings, so they excel in educational quality and alumni success, too.”

Money screened out schools with graduation rates below the median, those with financial difficulties, and those with fewer than 500 undergraduates. What remained were 705 colleges that were ranked on 24 factors in three categories: quality of educational, affordability and graduate outcomes.

This ranking is the latest affirmation of the value of a Ripon College education. U.S.News & World Report has included Ripon among its “Great Schools, Great Prices” list (No. 34), Washington Monthly as ranked Ripon 17th among liberal arts colleges in the Midwest based on economic value, and the Milwaukee Business Journal ranked Ripon first among all private liberal arts colleges in Wisconsin for “best value.”

The complete Money rankings list and methodology can be found at http://new.money.com/money/best-colleges/rankings.