UNC Asheville maintained its ranking as the nation’s eighth best public liberal arts college in U.S. News & World Report’s new “2016 Best Colleges,” released online today. UNC Asheville also ranks 148 on the first tier of national liberal arts colleges list, public and private, up from 159 the previous year.

U.S. News & World Report included 27 public national liberal arts colleges in its rankings, using a weighted formula that includes academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, class size, percentage of faculty who are full-time and have terminal degrees, student abilities and admissions selectivity, college financial resources and alumni financial support.

“UNC Asheville continues to be recognized for our excellent education and leadership in the public liberal arts. From our nationally acclaimed undergraduate research program to our locally focused projects and community involvement, our students make an impact each day and are prepared to be the problem-solvers of the 21st century. This recognition is a credit to the work and contributions of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni,” said UNC Asheville Chancellor Mary K. Grant.

The U.S. News & World Report ranking echoes praise published in August for UNC Asheville in The Princeton Review’s The Best 380 Colleges, which said the university’s professors “are brilliant and are invested in their students,” and that the school’s environment is “incredibly warm and open-minded.”

In July, the Fiske Guide to Colleges named UNC Asheville a “Best Buy” among the nation's top colleges, and for the 12th consecutive year, UNC Asheville's Environmental Studies Program was highlighted as showing unusual strength in preparing students for careers.

Also in the past year, UNC Asheville was listed as having the sixth lowest cost of attending for in-state students, in Kiplinger’s Best Values in Public Education.