Western Washington University ranks among the top 100 public colleges and universities in the nation that “deliver strong academics at affordable prices,” according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine.

In its February 2010 issue, Kiplinger’s magazine ranks Western 54th on its list of the 100 Best Values in Public Colleges in the United States for 2009-2010. The magazine ranked Western 56th in 2008-2009.

“Western offers a top-quality education at an affordable cost due to our fine faculty and staff, whose exceptional efforts have created a supportive and collaborative learning environment,” said WWU President Bruce Shepard. “Western unlocks doors to brighter futures, which is even more critically important in the midst of this very difficult economy.”

The rankings are based on data that more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities provided to determine the top 100.

The magazine, which has a...