BALTIMORE (WJZ) — If you’ve ever written out that check, you know that sending a kid to college can produce some eye-popping figures. For instance, four years of tuition at the average private school will run you $150,000.

Mike Schuh reports there are some colleges in Maryland being honored for being a good value.

Study after study shows college graduates get jobs which earn them more than those without a degree, but the up-front costs are high. Kiplinger’s Money Magazine has again published a list of schools that give a good education at a good price.

Highest on the national list is the University of Maryland College Park (No. 8), followed by St. Mary’s College (No. 42), Salisbury University (No. 71), Towson (No. 76) and UMBC (No. 84).

“Oh, we are all thrilled. Absolutely thrilled,” said Towson University President Dr. Maravene Loeschke.

Towson moved up two places this year and they say the ranking elevates their visibility beyond the mid-Atlantic.

“I think the fact that we’ve been recognized before has already put us in that area, but any time you go up the list like we did this year, it always brings you more national recognition,” Loeschke said.

One of the points the college administrators would like to make is that at some of these valued schools, you can get a private school education at a public school price. For instance, the average tuition at a private school is $38,000. In Towson, it’s $8,000 for in-state students and $19,000 for out-of-state students.

Though it may not seem like it to the person writing the check, the leadership at the Maryland schools ask themselves one basic question.

“Are we really doing what we say we’ll do, give them an excellent education at a price that won’t put them in debt for the rest of their lives?” said Loeschke.

Because of that, interest and applications are higher this year than last.

To see the entire list of the 100 best value colleges, click here.