Oct 26, 2011 - Claremont, CA -

Harvey Mudd College was named one of the top 200 Best Values in Private Colleges by Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine, in its December issue, on sale Nov. 8. The report, released online October 25, ranked public and private colleges and universities based on outstanding academics and great economic value. HMC ranked no. 26 this year in Liberal Arts Colleges, moving up from no. 37 in 2010.

Harvey Mudd College was rated highly for its academic quality, good student-to-faculty ratio (9:1), high four-year graduation rate, low average student debt at graduation, excellent on-campus resources and overall great value.

"The institutions on Kiplinger's rankings for best value in private colleges represent schools that provide high-quality academics as well as affordable cost even in these tough times," said Jane Bennett Clark, senior associate editor for Kiplinger's Personal Finance. "With money tight and the college choice so important, you have every reason to expect the best bang for your buck."

Each year, Kiplinger's assesses quality according to measurable standards, including the percentage of students who are admitted out of those who applied, the test scores of incoming freshmen, the ratio of students to faculty members, and the four- and five-year graduation rates.

This year, Kiplinger adjusted its criteria to better reflect the issues affecting families. Now, the rankings give more weight to the four-year graduation rate—a measure of the college's ability to deliver academic support and of the overall cost to families--and to colleges that keep student debt down. While the criteria have shifted, the focus on value remains the same. Many of the schools on the top 200 list have appeared in Kiplinger's rankings in previous years, demonstrating that these schools consistently deliver good value.

The complete list of schools can be found at www.kiplinger.com/links/college.