6 Va. schools on list of best value

Six Virginia schools are ranked among the 100 best values in public colleges, with the University of Virginia at No. 3 on the list.

The annual rankings by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine also rate the University of Richmond as 22nd among best bargains in private schools.

Schools making the lists combine "outstanding economic value with top-notch education," according to Kiplinger.

The College of William and Mary is ranked fifth among public schools. Other state universities in the top 100 list are Virginia Tech (15th), the University of Mary Washington (23rd), James Madison University (28th) and George Mason University (46th).

The rankings, based on in-state tuition, list U.Va.'s total costs as $18,460 per year, including tuition, fees and room and board. For out-of-state students, that cost is $38,760 for a ranking of 8th place.

The No. 1 public school is the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

The rankings, announced late last week, will appear in the magazine's December issue. They are on the magazine's Web site at www.kiplinger.com/money/collegevalues.

-- Karin Kapsidelis