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Ohio State University toppled Miami University as the best bargain in Ohio for higher education, according to Kiplinger's Top 100 best values for colleges and universities.

The report appears in the February edition of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine.

Ranked at No. 48, Miami University slipped several spots from last year's No. 31 ranking but still made the top 50 among public institutions. Ohio State University, ranked 27, moved up 10 spots on the list.

"Guides and rankings are a good start to find out about colleges," said MU spokeswoman Claire Wagner. "(We always tell students and parents) to dig deeper and visit the campus ... to make sure the school is a good fit."

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Florida and the University of Virginia comprised the top three best values for public schools.

Schools were rated based on various data that indicate academic quality and affordability, with quality accounting for two-thirds of the total.

Miami has an average cost, after financial aid, of $16,954 a year, and the average debt per student after graduation is $26,378, the second highest debt average in the top 100 list, according to the report. By comparison, OSU has an average cost, after aid, of $11,588 and the average debt after graduation is $19,978, according to the report.

Academically, Miami has a student/faculty ratio of 15-to-1, a four-year graduation rate of 67 percent and a six-year graduation rate of 80 percent, according to the report. At OSU, the student/faculty ratio is 13-to-1, while the four-year graduation rate is 40 percent and six-year graduation rate is 71 percent, according to the report.

Among private institutions, three liberal arts colleges and two universities in Ohio made the top 50 for best values.

Those schools are Xavier University, Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Kenyon College in Gambier, Denison University in Granville and Oberlin College.

Kiplinger reports that colleges and universities of every kind are cutting costs to keep operations running and financial aid flowing.

To view the lists, including the various data that were considered, visit the magazine's Web site at Kiplinger.com.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122

or rwilson@coxohio.com.