U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges 2013” annual assessment of universities throughout the country ranks Fresno State No. 9 among top public regional universities in the Western United States and No. 5 in the region in keeping down student debt loads.

For California’s public (state-funded) regional universities, Fresno State’s rankings are even better: sixth overall and third-lowest in student debt accumulation at $13,921, lower than most other college students, according to the report.

Looking at all private and public universities in the West, Fresno State was ranked 38th in the region, which covers 91 schools in Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and Nevada.

“It’s good to be recognized for the dedication to student achievement that is so important to the faculty and staff at Fresno State,” said President John D. Welty.

The ratings are based on such factors as freshman retention rate, graduation rate, full-time faculty, student/faculty ratio and class size.

The magazine identifies regional universities as those that provide a full range of undergraduate majors and master’s programs. Unlike national universities, regional schools offer few, if any, doctoral programs.

Fresno State offers 60 undergraduate degree programs, 45 master’s degree programs, one Ed.S. in School Psychology and three doctoral programs.

In August, Washington Monthly ranked Fresno State 10th in the nation among master’s degree-granting universities in its assessment of how effectively universities serve their students. The magazine uses social mobility, research and public service, plus affordability to make its rankings.

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