NEW BRUNSWICK -- Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus ranks among the nation's top 10 colleges for reported rapes on campus, according to a Washington Post analysis of federal data.

The university had 32 reported rapes in 2014, tied for seventh-most with the University of North Carolina, the analysis found.

It was one of nearly 100 colleges with at least 10 reported rapes, including Brown University and the University of Connecticut, which both reported 43 rapes.

Colleges are required to report crimes, including rapes, that happen on campus to the US. Department of Education every year.

On a per capita basis, Rutgers --at a rate of 0.7 per 1,000 students -- does not rank among the highest in the nation, according to the analysis.

Reed College, a liberal arts college in Oregon, had the highest number of reported rapes per capita with 12.9 reported per 1,000 students.

In a statement, Rutgers said it strongly encourages students to report crimes and use the resources provided by the university.

"Reporting a sexual assault can be difficult and may seem overwhelming, but the university urges anyone who believes he or she was a victim of a crime to report the incident to the Rutgers University Police Department," the university said in a statement.

The university recently worked with the White House to develop a model for colleges to assess and combat sexual assault.

Reported rapes at colleges must be reported to the federal government using the same definition the FBI uses for its Uniform Crime Report: "Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim," according to the Washington Post report.

Victim advocates said that a higher number of reported rapes may be a sign more victims are comfortable coming forward.

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.