U.S. News rankings: Where Pa. and N.J. colleges stand

U.S. News and World Report has released its annual best colleges list, so we took a look at how Pennsylvania and New Jersey schools fared. Ivies Princeton and Penn both made the top 10 for national universities, with Princeton besting Harvard for the top spot. And the Philadelphia suburbs had two colleges among the top 10 liberal arts schools, with Swarthmore ranking third and Haverford placing ninth.

U.S. News adjusted its ranking formula this year, putting a greater emphasis on retention- and graduation-related data. Penn State was among the schools to see the biggest benefits from that shift, USA Today reports, jumping nine spots on the national universities list. Last year, Penn and Duke tied for eighth, while Princeton shared the top spot with Harvard.

The magazine also identifies top regional colleges and universities, best value schools and up-and-coming schools, among other lists.

Here are the top 10 national universities and liberal arts colleges, as well as all other ranked Pennsylvania and New Jersey schools in those categories:

National universities:
1. Princeton University
2. Harvard University
3. Yale University
4. Columbia University
5. Stanford University
5. University of Chicago
7. University of Pennsylvania
7. Duke University
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
10. California Institute of Technology
10. Dartmouth College
23. Carnegie Mellon University
37. Pennsylvania State University - University Park
41. Lehigh University
62. University of Pittsburgh
69. Rutgers - New Brunswick
82. Stevens Institute of Technology
97. Drexel University
121. Duquesne University
121. Temple University
128. Seton Hall University
142. Rutgers - Newark
150. New Jersey Institute of Technology
177. Indiana University of Pennsylvania
181. Widener University
190. Immaculata University

Liberal arts schools:
1. Williams College
2. Amherst College
3. Swarthmore College
4. Bowdoin College
4. Middlebury College
4. Pomona College
7. Carleton College
7. Wellesley College
9. Claremont McKenna College
9. Davidson College
9. Haverford College
30. Bryn Mawr College
32. Bucknell University
36. Lafayette College
45. Dickinson College
45. Franklin and Marshall College
50. Gettysburg College
65. Muhlenberg College
82. Allegheny College
82. Ursinus College
97. Washington and Jefferson College
100. Juniata College
107. Drew University
115. Susquehanna University
115. Westminster College
138. Moravian College
141. Grove City College
146. St. Vincent College
161. Lycoming College
176. Albright College