By Madina Toure
Queens College is once again ranked among the top five schools in Washington Monthly’s “2015 Best Bang for the Buck” listing of colleges in the Northeast.
The list highlights schools that provide a quality education at an affordable cost based on net price—full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships— as well as graduation of admitted students and whether those students earn at least enough to pay off their loans.
Queens College, which is part of the City University system, placed fifth in the survey. The school’s student default rate on loans is 3.7 percent, its graduation rate is 53 percent and about 35.7 percent of students receive Pell grants.
Tuition for full-time undergraduate students is $3,165 per semester for state residents and $560 per credit for out-of-state residents or international students. For full-time graduate students, tuition is $5,065 per semester for state residents and $780 per credit for out-of-state residents and international students.
Félix V. Matos Rodríguez, president of the college, located at 65-30 Kissena Blvd. in Flushing, said the school has been among the top five for the past three years and attributes the consistent ranking to its affordability, quality course offerings and small class sizes.
“There is some consistency in both the quality of the academic offerings and the fact that people do finish and complete and the fact that they can do so at a very affordable price and not leaving the institution with a heavy loan burden. That’s one of the biggest concerns for most students and the families these days,” Rodriguez said. “We’re delighted that our work has been recognized.”
About 80 percent of the college’s students graduate debt-free, which Rodriguez said allows students to think not just about graduating, but also about pursuing a graduate degree.
The school is the largest producer of computer science majors in New York City, has the third largest business and accounting program in the state and has a long tradition of providing teachers, counselors and principals for New York City schools.
Other highlights include the college’s Aaron Copland School of Music and its environmental science course offerings.
Reach reporter Madina Toure by e-mail at mtour
