For the second year in a row, Pratt Institute ranked no. 20 out of the 135 peer institutions in U.S. News & World Report’s “Regional Universities North” category, which includes institutions that provide a full range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Pratt was the only independent college of art and design to place in this category. The magazine released its latest statistics on September 10.

According to U.S. News & World Report, the “Best Colleges 2014” rankings allow comparisons of the relative quality of institutions based on such widely accepted indicators of excellence such as freshman retention, graduation rates, and the strength of faculty. More information on the U.S. News & World Report ranking system can be found here.