Forbes again recognizes Towson University as a ‘Best Value College’

By Jan Lucas on April 29, 2019

Towson University has risen into the top half of Forbes’ just-released list of “America’s Best Value Colleges.” 

TU occupies the No. 137 spot for 2019—a dramatic rise from its No. 181 ranking in 2018 and 2017. The Forbes list names 300 U.S. schools with the highest quality and best financial outcomes.

This marks Forbes’ fourth annual ranking of public and private colleges and universities offering four-year degrees. After gathering and analyzing data on 645 schools and universities from across all 50 states, the publication scored them on “quality, net price, net debt, alumni earnings, timely graduation, and access for low-income students.”

Other University System of Maryland institutions included among this year’s “Best Value Colleges” include University of Maryland, College Park (41), UMBC (103) and Salisbury University (231).

Forbes ranked TU 305th out of the 650 public and private schools it selected for its 2018 America’s Top Colleges list. The number represents about 22 percent of the nation’s approximately 3,000 colleges and universities.

This is the latest recognition TU has received from national rankings organizations, like U.S. News & World Report, Money Magazine, and Washington Monthly.

U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 America’s Best Colleges guide ranked Towson University 12th in the public Regional Universities (North) category. In addition, TU placed 68th on U.S. News & World Report’s 2019 Best Value Regional (North) Universities ranking and 30th on its Best Colleges for Veterans list. TU also was named to the magazine’s A+ Schools for B Students list. 

Money magazine ranked Towson University 147th on its 2018-2019 Best Colleges for Your Money list, where TU again joined the University of Maryland, College Park, and Johns Hopkins University as Maryland’s highest-ranked institutions.  

Washington Monthly ranked Towson University 47th among the 150 colleges and universities surveyed for its 2018 Master’s category. The magazine also ranked TU 68th among the best value schools in its category.

This story is one of several related to President Kim Schatzel’s priorities for Towson University: TU Matters to Maryland.