For the 2019 Best College Value ranking, Duquesne earned the No. 70 spot on Kiplinger's list of 177 Best Private College Values, a 26-spot climb from last year. Out of private colleges in Pennsylvania, Duquesne was ranked No. 6. The University also was ranked No. 218 overall for both public and private institutions.
For its rankings, Kiplinger assesses value by measurable standards of academic quality and affordability. Quality measures include the admission rate, the percentage of students who return for sophomore year, the student-faculty ratio and four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include sticker price, financial aid and average debt at graduation.
"Our rankings-which weigh affordability alongside academic quality-are designed to help families see how their full array of college options stack up," said Kaitlin Pitsker, associate editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. "We start with a universe of nearly 1,200 schools, then trim the list based on measures of academic quality, cost and financial aid data. This year's list features recurring winners, as well as rising stars and new additions, all of which are worth a look."
Full rankings are available online.