UNC #1 best academic value for 12th time in a row Posted Dec 28, 2012 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ranks as the number one value in American public higher education because it offers students “stellar academics” at a bargain price, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. For the 12th time in a row, UNC-Chapel Hill ranked first on Kiplinger’s list of the 100 universities and colleges that provide the best value to in-state students. (UNC.edu)