Student Success | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this post, Crystal Baity, is a contributor to ECU News Services.

ECU No. 1 in the Southeast in new ranking

    East Carolina University is ranked No.1 in Washington Monthly magazine's list of "Best Bang for the Buck Colleges in the Southeast" released Aug. 24.

    The rankings are based on the net price of attendance, the university's graduation rate and whether students go on to earn enough to pay off their loans, according to the magazine.

    "The Washington Monthly is one of the few rating systems that actually measures what difference the university makes to the student," said Chancellor Steve Ballard. "Because student success is our number one priority, we pay attention to this kind of ranking."

    It's the second time ECU has been recognized by the magazine this year. In March, a new book "The Other College Guide: A Road Map to the Right School for You" also named ECU the top ranked university in the Southeast region. The book measured affordability and outcomes in higher education.

    The latest rankings are taken from the book and include updated information on 1,540 colleges from five geographic regions across the country. The rankings measure student loan default rate, graduation rate, the number of Pell Grant students and cost of attendance.

    "We are very pleased that ECU is rated first in the Southeast," Ballard said. "Our students pay a reasonable price, they have the opportunity to receive a good degree that prepares them for life and they are developed as leaders. East Carolina makes a difference for our students."

    The Southeast region includes colleges and universities from Alabama, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

    UNC system campuses account for 10 of the top 20 "Best Bang for the Buck" schools in the Southeast. N.C. State University was ranked 2nd, UNC Pembroke was 7th, UNC Greensboro was 8th, Appalachian State was 9th, UNC Charlotte was 10th, UNC Chapel Hill was 11th, Elizabeth City State was 17th, Fayetteville State was 18th and N.C. Central was 19th.

    The full list can be found at www.washingtonmonthly.com.