U.S. News and World Report has issued its annual "best colleges" rankings and the University of Nevada, Reno is again in the top tier of "best national universities."

In developing its rankings, U.S. News surveys more than 1,600 universities and colleges. Schools in the "best national universities" category offer a full range of undergraduate majors, masters and doctoral degrees and are committed to a productive research program. The University of Nevada, Reno is ranked No. 181.

"The University of Nevada, Reno's continued ranking in the top tier is a statement about the students we attract, the quality of our faculty and their world-improving research and creativity," said University President Marc Johnson. "I am enormously proud of the people who make this University a top-tier educational offering."

In addition to the University's overall ranking, the College of Engineering and the College of Business are again ranked among the "best colleges" in this year's survey of undergraduate programs. 

The University's College of Engineering is ranked by U.S. News both as one of the "best colleges" for its undergraduate programs and, announced in the spring, as a "best grad school." In the 2013 category of "best colleges" for undergraduate engineering programs, the College of Engineering is ranked No. 152. To be ranked, the highest degree awarded must be a doctoral degree and the college must have at least one accredited program by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology. Seven of the University's College of Engineering programs are ABET accredited.

The University's College of Business is ranked No. 222 in the category of "best colleges" for its undergraduate business programs. To be ranked, the college or program must be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The College of Business is also listed in the Princeton Review Best Business Schools guidebook based on the quality of the college's part-time MBA Program, which is currently ranked number four in the country by Businessweek.

The U.S. News' measures include a peer-assessment survey with university leaders nationally, graduation rate performance, faculty resources, student selectivity and preparedness, financial resources, alumni giving and a reputation rating based on input of high-school counselors.

Last spring the University achieved a strong showing in the annual rankings of the best graduate programs by U.S. News. Three schools - the College of Engineering, College of Education and University of Nevada School of Medicine - were ranked among the nation's best. An additional 16 program areas also were ranked among the nation's best, and this includes seven top-100 program rankings.