Published: Sept. 11, 2002

The University of Colorado at Boulder fared well in the U.S. News & World Report's 2003 edition of America's Best Colleges, slated to hit newsstands Sept. 16.Ìý

In a ranking of the top 50 public national universities offering doctoral programs, CU-Boulder was ranked 31st, highest in the Rocky Mountain region. CU-Boulder was tied with Michigan State University, the University of Connecticut, the University of Pittsburgh and SUNY Binghamton in New York.

Academic programs ranked by the magazine for the 2003 Best Colleges edition included business and engineering programs and specialty schools.

Among public undergraduate engineering schools in the United States offering doctorates, CU-Boulder was tied for 20th with North Carolina State University and the University of California, Davis. CU-Boulder was tied for 31st in the ranking of both public and private engineering schools offering doctorates.

In best public undergraduate business programs offering doctorates, CU-Boulder's Leeds School of Business was tied for 24th place with Virginia Tech. The Leeds School of Business was tied for 38th in the nation in the ranking of both public and private business schools offering doctorates.

Business Dean Steven Manaster said, "We are committed to continually improving our programs. As part of that effort, we hired seven new faculty members this year to enhance our undergraduate offerings."

Indicators used by the magazine to rate academic quality included peer assessment, student retention, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, graduation rate performance and alumni giving rate.