Jay Dedrick, CU System University Relations

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs is a top Western regional university, according to the latest edition of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges.

The just-released list places UCCS ninth on the list of top public regional universities of the West and 39th overall among regional universities of the West. Last year, UCCS was ranked tenth among public universities and 46th overall.

Additionally, the magazine ranked the undergraduate program in the UCCS College of Business as 82 among public universities and 133 overall among national universities.

The top Western regional public universities ranked with UCCS are:

1. California Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo

2. Western Washington University

3. New Mexico Institute of Technology

4. California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

5. Evergreen State College

6. San Jose State University

7. California State University, Long Beach

8. California State University, Chico

9. University of Colorado Colorado Springs

10. Sonoma State University

11. Central Washington University

12. Humboldt State University

13. California State University - Monterey Bay

Regional universities provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master's degree programs and a few doctoral programs. National Universities are the 310 institutions - 189 public, 114 private and seven for-profit institutions - that offer a wide range of undergraduate majors as well as master's and doctoral degrees; some emphasize research.

In the best national universities category, CU Boulder is 38 among top public national universities and 92nd among all public, private and for-profit universities in the country. CU Denver is 106 among top public national universities and 197 among all national universities. "U.S. News & World Report" rankings are based on measures of academic peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.