According to Kiplinger’s just-released compilation of the “top 50 values in liberal arts colleges for 2010,” Denison University students rank nationally among those with the lowest average debt after graduation. The college is No. 8 in the nation among liberal arts colleges and first among Ohio liberal arts colleges, with Kenyon following at No. 17 and Oberlin at No. 26.

The average debt at graduation for a Denison student is $14,657, and 52 percent of the class of 2009 graduated without any financial aid debt at all. By comparison, the average debt at graduation for students of The Ohio State University is $19,978, and it is $26,378 for Miami University (Ohio) students.

"While these numbers are important because they help to dispel the notion that the final cost of attending a top-tier liberal arts college like Denison is out of reach—it’s also important to note that these figures are just one indicator of value. A Denison education is for a life, not just for a living,” says Denison President Dale Knobel.

The Kiplinger list also places Denison at No. 7 among the nation’s best liberal arts colleges for the lowest average cost when need-based financial aid is factored in ($18,823). Other colleges among the top ten include Amherst, Williams, Pomona and Swarthmore.

While Denison’s total cost per year for tuition, room and board is $46,140, the college has long made it a primary goal to provide an affordable education for its students, and the vast majority of Denison students have qualified for scholarships and financial aid.

In 2009-10, for example, Denison’s financial aid budget is $39.7 million, which provides assistance for highly accomplished students in need and also merit-based aid for students who have excelled in high school. This year, as global economic indicators have slumped, Denison has intensified its efforts to assist its students by increasing the amount of aid it provides by more than $2 million over last year’s amount.

About Denison:

Denison University, founded in 1831, is an independent, residential liberal arts institution located in Granville, Ohio. A highly selective college enrolling 2,100 full-time undergraduate students from all 50 states and dozens of foreign countries, Denison is a place where innovative faculty and motivated students collaborate in rigorous scholarship, civic engagement and the cultivation of independent thinking.

For press inquiries:

Name

Barbara Stambaugh

Position Title

Director, Media Relations

Primary Email

stambaughb@denison.edu

Business Phone

(740) 587-8575