COLUMBIA -- The University of South Carolina is ranked the nation's 32nd best value among public universities, according to Kiplinger's 2009 "Best Values in Public Colleges."
USC jumped 28 spots in 2009 after being ranked 60th in the 2008 report. The report ranks the nation's public universities based on their ability to "deliver strong academics at affordable prices."
The ranking appears in the February issue of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.
According to USC, Kiplinger compiled the rankings based on SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and four- and six-year graduation rates, which most schools reported for the class entering in 2002. The magazine also ranks public universities on cost and financial aid.
USC is the top-ranked public college in South Carolina, according to the Kiplinger ranking. USC is third among universities in the Southeastern Conference, trailing the University of Florida and the University of Georgia.
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