The University of Arizona was recently recognized as one of the top 50 public institutions in the nation.
In the annual list published by the U.S. News & World Report, the UA came in 46th place, tied with five other schools.
According to a news release from the UA, this year's ranking is 14 spots up from last year.
And in case you're wondering, yes — the UA beat Arizona State University, which took 52nd place.
And the University of California, Los Angeles took the gold and came in first place.
U.S. News also published a list of the best universities across the country, which includes both public and private institutions. The UA took 106th place in that list, tied with eight other schools.
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The No. 106 ranking for the UA is 18 spots higher than last year.
It's also the highest ranking the UA has received in close to 10 years, the news release says.
"It is our intention to equip our students with the skills necessary to compete and contribute in the increasingly challenging global economy," UA President Robert C. Robbins said in the news release. "We are stressing a student-centric approach that focuses greatly on the necessary humanistic and adaptive skills required to excel in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. We embrace this broad mission and will work tirelessly to advance our influence on behalf the students and the university."
Colleges are ranked based on a number of factors, including graduation rates, faculty resources, financial resources, and student excellence.
The UA also ranked in other categories, such as the best colleges for veterans and the best value schools. To see all the lists, click here.
Then and Now — UA campus in 50s, 60s, 70s and today:
Then and Now: UA campus in 50s, 60s, 70s and today
University of Arizona campus, 1965
The Park Avenue Food Services and Bookstore Center on the west side of campus is under construction on May 18, 1965. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The Park Student Union at the University of Arizona offers an array of food choices plus a bookstore, gaming center, meeting rooms and the home of the KAMP Student Radio station in Tucson, on August 8, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1965
Arizona Stadium starts to take shape as 10,000 new seats are added to the west side along Vine Street as part of the University of Arizona's $1.4 million addition to structure on April 16, 1965. The completion date for the addition to the stadium was extended a month to October 2, 1965. Ralph Dohme / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
Likens Residence Hall, left, is a four to six-story hall that offers numerous sustainability features and the latest in green energy at the University of Arizona in Tucson, on August 8, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1966
The brand-spanking new Space Sciences Center at the University of Arizona was complete by September 11, 1966. Note that North Warren Avenue went all the way through to Third Street and the UA Mall. Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The Gerard P Kuiper Space Sciences building on the mall of the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1965
A previously empty lot is becoming the foundation to the University of Arizona's new Administration building on May 18, 1965. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The west side of the Administration Building at the University of Arizona campus while looking south in Tucson on July 26, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1971
The Student Union at the University of Arizona had just been renovated by June 23, 1971. The addition of 130,000 square feet in the new sections of the building more than doubled the previous space. The cost for the renovation was $3.5 million. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The new Student Union Memorial Center at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. It is one of the largest student unions in the country sitting on around 10 acres and offering food, shopping, studying, banks, a bookstore, hair salon and more. It also pays tribute in design and memorabilia to the USS Arizona. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1972
Arizona Stadium is off in the distance looking south along North Cherry Avenue on February 9, 1972. At the time the UA was proposing an addition to its football stadium adding another 10,600 seats to the east side of the structure that would involve permanently closing Cherry Avenue. It was also considering a 3,600-unit parking lot, all of which could cost around $11 million. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
North Cherry Avenue looking south toward the football stadium at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1976
From the patio of the new University of Arizona Main Library, students hang out as construction on the east side of the football stadium, on the left, continues on April 21, 1976. Arizona Stadium's seating capacity was to increase to a total of 57,000 seats for its season opener against Auburn on September 11. P.K. Weis / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The Lowell-Stevens Football Facility is at the north end of Arizona Stadium at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. It is the new home of football operations and it provides club seating, concessions and it increased the seating capacity of the stadium. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1968
The new Optical Sciences building at the University of Arizona was part of a $2.6 million project on December 27, 1968. The US Air Force pledged $5.2 million in support of optical sciences research at the university. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The back side of Optical Sciences building at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on August 14, 2016. The college is one of the premier educational and research institutions in optics and photonics. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1966
Drivers travel around the University of Arizona campus as dirt is piled up in the center of the mall near Cherry Avenue looking towards Bear Down Gym in the background and the baseball field on September 11, 1966. Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The Mall at the University of Arizona near the Main Library, left and Bear Down Gym in the middle in Tucson on August 15, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1971
The Student Union at the University of Arizona had just been renovated by June 23, 1971. The addition of 130,000 square feet in the new sections of the building more than doubled the previous space. The cost for the renovation was $3.5 million. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The new Student Union Memorial Center at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on August 10, 2016. It is one of the largest student unions in the country sitting on around 10 acres and offering food, shopping, studying, banks, a bookstore, hair salon and more. It also pays tribute in design and memorabilia to the USS Arizona. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1972
Arizona Stadium is on the left looking north along North Cherry Avenue at East Sixth Street on February 9, 1972. At the time the UA was proposing an addition to its football stadium adding another 10,600 seats to the east side of the structure that would involve permanently closing Cherry Avenue. It was also considering a 3,600-unit parking lot, all of which could cost around $11 million. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
A woman crosses Sixth Street along the east side of Arizona Stadium at the University of Arizona in Tucson, on August 8, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1965
The University of Arizona's Civil Engineering building nears completion on May 18, 1965. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The University of Arizona Civil Engineering Building at 1209 E 2 St., A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1982
University of Arizona students take time out from their classes to relax at the pool located on the north side of the Student Union on March 9, 1982. Tucson Citizen file
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The north side of the Student Union Memorial Center at the University of Arizona looking towards the Second Street parking garage in Tucson on August 16, 2016.
University of Arizona campus, 1965
The University of Arizona Speech and Hearing Sciences building at 1131 E 2nd St. in Tucson in 1965. Bruce Hopkins / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The University of Arizona Speech and Hearing Sciences Building at 1131 E 2nd St. in Tucson on July 25, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1966
The University of Arizona Mall off East Third Street (left) and North Cherry Avenue on September 21, 1966. Note the baseball field on the left of the photo. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The mall at the University of Arizona from North Cherry Avenue near University Boulevard in Tucson on August 16, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1966
A view of North Highland Avenue looking north toward the University of Arizona's Administration building on September 11, 1966. Mark Godfrey / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
North Highland Avenue at Sixth Street looking north toward the mall at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on August 14, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1965
The foundation of what is going to be the University of Arizona's Administration building is underway on June 29, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
Arizona Stadium on the west side of the structure looking south at the University of Arizona in Tucson, on August 10, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1971
The Student Union at the University of Arizona had just been renovated by June 23, 1971. The addition of 130,000 square feet in the new sections of the building more than doubled the previous space. The cost for the renovation was $3.5 million. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
A portion of the new Student Union Memorial Center at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. It is one of the largest student unions in the country sitting on around 10 acres and offering food, shopping, studying, banks, a bookstore, hair salon and more. It also pays tribute in design and memorabilia to the USS Arizona. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1965
Cranes ease giant sections of the concrete supports in place along Vine Street as part of the University of Arizona's $1.4 million addition to Arizona Stadium on March 24, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
Arizona Stadium on the west side of the structure looking north at the University of Arizona in Tucson, on August 10, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1959
University of Arizona students walk around campus mixing occasionally with traffic in front of the Social Sciences building in 1959. Tucson Citizen file.
University of Arizona campus, 2016
From the Social Sciences building looking north towards Old Main at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
University of Arizona campus, 1965
The foundation of what is going to be the University of Arizona's Administration building is underway on June 29, 1965. Art Grasberger / Tucson Citizen
University of Arizona campus, 2016
The Administration Building at the University of Arizona campus in Tucson on July 26, 2016. A.E. Araiza / Arizona Daily Star
Contact reporter Gloria Knott at gknott@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @gloriaeknott
Gloria Knott
#ThisIsTucson Editor
