The business newspaper and website Business First has ranked the University of Vermont 31st among 477 public colleges nationwide. 

The publication used 21 criteria to calculate the rankings.They included: 

  • Admission rate, the percentage of first-time undergraduate applicants who were admitted to the school.
  • Admissions test scores for admitted students at the 25th and 75th percentiles.
  • Retention rate, the percentage of first-time undergraduates who returned to college after their first year.
  • Four- and six-year graduation rates.
  • The school’s place on other college rankings.
  • Library books and media resources.
  • Expenditures for academic instruction.
  • Average net price. The average annual cost of tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board for a full-time undergraduate receiving grant or scholarship aid, once the value of the grant or scholarship was subtracted.

"This ranking is another testament to the value -- the combination of UVM's academic quality and its cost after financial aid -- that we offer our students," said Beth Wiser, UVM director of admissions. 

Last fall, UVM was also ranked a top "Bang for the Buck" school by Washington Monthy and a top public university by U.S. News & World Report.