George Mason University made another strong leap in Forbes’ annual “Best Value College” rankings.
George Mason was ranked 98th among the top 300 colleges and universities, a jump of 13 spots from last year’s list and 82 positions over the past two years. Mason was also recognized by Kiplinger’s “Best College Values.”
Forbes scored six categories in compiling its list: net price, net debt, alumni earnings, timely graduation, school quality (based on its annual rankings), and access for low income students. The evaluation does not include private for-profit institutions.
Two other surveys also highlighted Mason’s overall strengths and its overall strengths in its online programs
Mason is 55th nationally and 17th of 71 schools surveyed in the South, according to Business First, a Buffalo, N.Y.-based service owned by American City Business Journals. Business First ranked 485 four-year public schools on 22 indicators, including academic excellence, affordability, diversity and economic strength. The full ranking is here.
OnlineDegrees.com, a Foster City, Calif.-based service specializing in online programming, ranks Mason No. 5 for online degrees in Virginia. Mason scored high in five criteria, including graduation rate, post-graduate employment, flexibility, student services and job placement. The full ranking is here.