FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas once again is the only higher education institution in the state listed in America’s 100 Best College Buys, the annual report published by Institutional Research and Evaluation Inc., an independent research and consulting organization. This is the eighth straight year that the university has been named to the list.

The 100 Best list is based on the cost and academic standards of accredited, not-for-profit four-year institutions that offer bachelor degrees and full residential facilities. The report is based on a survey of 1,060 public and private colleges and universities. Institutional Research and Evaluation averaged the total of out-of-state costs at public institutions and the standard costs at private schools, to reach a national average cost of $28,051 per year for the 2008-09 school year. That’s a $1,861 increase from last year’s average.

The University of Arkansas’ in-state cost is $13,822 per year and the out-of state cost is $22,700, both substantially below the national average.

Data from the survey also was used to determine the national average for the grade point averages of incoming freshmen in 2007, as well as the averages for their SAT and ACT scores. Institutional Research and Evaluation calculated that the national average GPA was 3.29, the average SAT was 1083, and the average ACT was 23.

University of Arkansas incoming freshmen posted an average GPA of 3.60, average SAT score of 1152, and average ACT score of 26, all well above the national average.

"Keeping a college education affordable and providing need-based scholarships so all qualified students can attend the state’s flagship university are priorities in my administration," said Chancellor G. David Gearhart. "Once again, thanks to increased private and public support, we were able to keep tuition and fee increases below the national level, while continuing to improve the quality of the education our students receive."

The University of Arkansas is one of nine Southeastern Conference schools included in the 100 Best list.