Tusculum University among top in South in “Best Bang for the Buck” ranking by national publication

GREENEVILLETusculum University’s commitment to provide access to a high-caliber education for students regardless of their financial means is earning recognition from a national publication based in Washington.

Washington Monthly, a 50-year-old magazine that focuses on government, gave special recognition to Tusculum recently in a “Best Bang for the Buck” college ranking. Tusculum was one of three colleges or universities the magazine highlighted – and the only one in Tennessee – when it discussed those making a difference in the South. Tusculum was also the highest-ranked higher education institution in Tennessee in that category of the country.

This is the Thomas J. Garland Library on Tusculum University’s Greeneville campus.

“We compiled and analyzed federal data to develop an exclusive list of schools that help nonwealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices,” the magazine said. “The top colleges on our list are a mix of some of America’s most elite institutions and hidden gems that make up for a lack of national name recognition. These schools have low net prices and strong records of helping students of modest means graduate with high-quality degrees that earn them good salaries in the job market.”

Tusculum was ranked 12th in the South, just two below Texas A&M University.

“We are ecstatic to know that our efforts to give students of all financial levels an exceptional education are receiving national acclaim,” said Dr. James Hurley, Tusculum’s president. “Education opens the door to so many career opportunities as well as a better quality of life, and we are proud of our record of putting students, particularly those who are the first in their families to attend college, on the path to long-term success.”

Factors Washington Monthly took into account in its ranking are graduation rates for first-time, full-time students; the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants and the typical price families pay earning less than $75,000 a year pay for college after grant aid. The magazine also considered data on loan repayment rates, earnings and the percentage of first-generation students.

Dr. James Hurley, left, Tusculum University’s president, and Dr. Greg Nelson, chairman of Tusculum’s Board of Trustees, recently visited construction taking place for the Niswonger College of Optometry.

Particularly notable figures about Tusculum were the 57 percent of students who receive Pell Grants and the 47 percent of them who are first-generation students. Of the top 12 higher education institutions, only four had higher percentages of Pell Grant recipients, and only three had higher percentages of first-generation students. Two others tied with Tusculum for the percentage of first-generation students.

Dr. Greg Nelson, chairman of Tusculum’s Board of Trustees, noted the university is positioned for growth, which will make the university even more attractive as a first-choice destination. He cited initiatives such as the College of Optometry and the physician assistant program, for which Tusculum is in the early stages of the accreditation process and is hiring faculty and renovating the Meen Center to support. He also highlighted the addition of a Master of Arts in sport administration degree and the College of Business’ accreditation in 2018.

“Tusculum has considerable momentum, and we are thrilled about our additional steps to advance the quality of our university and the region to the next level of excellence,” Dr. Nelson said. “We’re proud of our work for the last 225 years and looking forward to a bright future for Tusculum.”