Three years ago, the University of Missouri–St. Louis began using its trademarked positioning statement: “Serious education. Serious value.” That statement has resonated well with prospective students and its validity has received another national endorsement.

UMSL made Washington Monthly magazine’s 2013 exclusive list of “Best Bang for Your Buck” colleges and universities. Only 349 colleges and universities rated “Best Bang for Your Buck” status out of 1,572 schools in the magazine’s broader rankings. UMSL ranked 56 among national universities and was one of only three Missouri universities to make the list.

Washington Monthly said the list addresses the question most students should be asking: What colleges will charge people like me the least and give me the highest chance of graduating with a degree that means something in the marketplace?

Like many of the other schools on the “Best Bang” list, UMSL carries a low profile nationally. According to Washington Monthly, these schools may not be big names nationally, but they deliver for their students big-time.

“Washington Monthly confirms what we’ve learned through our alumni surveys and marketing research,” says Senior Associate Vice Chancellor Ron Gossen. “UMSL prepares students well for their chosen careers at a reasonable and manageable cost.

“We receive a lot of feedback from local business and community leaders – many of whom our alumni – who rave about their experiences with recent graduates,” Gossen says. “UMSL graduates are work-ready.”

This story was published in the fall 2013 issue of UMSL Magazine.