Tech moved up one spot nationally for in-state students from 13th in 2007 to 12th in 2008. Kiplinger also ranked Georgia Tech (58) among the 100 best values for students paying out-of-state tuition rates.

Selected from a pool of more than 500 public four-year colleges and universities, schools in the Kiplinger 100 were ranked according to academic quality, cost and financial aid. Schools that made the list keep costs down through creative financing, such as using funding from lottery ticket sales, university-branded apparel and private fundraisers.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill tops the list, with the University of Florida and the University of Virginia taking second and third, respectively.