Texas A&M University placed first in Texas in Kiplinger’s Personal Finance “best value” rankings of public colleges for 2012-13.

The widely distributed publication announced its “top 100 best values” in public schools today, ranking Texas A&M 18th nationally and tops in Texas. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill heads the list, just as it has done since the magazine began its ratings in 1998.

Kiplinger’s editors say they base their ratings on a combination of “outstanding education and economic value.” Janet OKBodnar, the magazine’s editor, said, “We applaud this year’s top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students.”

Texas A&M has a long record of figuring prominently in rankings focusing on high quality of education coupled with costs. Most recently, Texas A&M placed second in a Washington Monthly survey that also includes values of research contributions and overall service to the nation.