Duquesne Named a Best Private College by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

Duquesne has been selected as one of the country’s best values in private colleges by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. On the annual list of only 100 private universities and 100 liberal arts colleges, Duquesne is ranked No. 84.

According to Kiplinger’s, Duquesne and the other schools included in the 2014 lists represent the colleges that provide high-quality academics at a reasonable cost. The colleges exemplify the attributes that parents and students look for in higher education, including small class sizes, a good freshman retention rate and a high four-year graduation rate.

“It is not by chance that our University is included in Kiplinger’s Best Private College List,” said Paul-James Cukanna, associate provost for enrollment management. “Our inclusion reflects a decade-long effort by President Dougherty and his team to manage the University in a highly sophisticated manner. While his efforts have always been mission- and student-focused rather than intended to garner external accolades, it’s great to have yet another independent entity acknowledge and confirm the benefits of sound leadership at a time when other universities are struggling nationally.”

Although private schools generally carry higher sticker prices than in-state prices at public schools, the magazine notes that private schools can actually be cheaper than public schools because of their generous financial aid.

Kiplinger’s rankings measure academic quality and affordability. Academic and financial criteria include:

  • student admission rate (the number of applicants accepted)
  • test scores of incoming freshmen
  • ratio of students to faculty members
  • four- and five-year graduation rates
  • sticker price
  • availability and average amount of need-  and merit-based financial aid
  • average student debt at graduation.

“Combining a high-quality education with an affordable price tag is a challenge, but the colleges on this year’s list offer the best of both worlds,” said Janet Bodnar, Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine editor.