Kiplinger's Best College Values, 2019

When Kiplinger's began ranking colleges for best value two decades ago, concerns about the price of college weren't in the spotlight. Since then, the cost of attending college has skyrocketed. Over the past 20 years, the average cost of tuition and fees at private four-year colleges has increased 58% after adjusting for inflation. And costs for students attending in-state public colleges have more than doubled, according to the College Board. Today's sky-high sticker prices, growing student debt and relatively flat family incomes have sparked a national conversation and will likely be an issue in the 2020 presidential campaign.

With so many variables at play, it's vital to start your college search by looking at the full array of college options, rather than sticking to high-profile or nearby schools that may already be on your radar (see ). To that end, Kiplinger's presents an expanded version of our annual best college, plus lists of the best values in , (ranked separately to account for their different missions) and .