TURLOCK – For the 14th straight year, California State University, Stanislaus has been recognized as one of the country’s top public universities in the U.S. News & World Report “America’s Best College” rankings. This report is popular with students and their parents who are sizing up prospective colleges and universities.

CSU Stanislaus is ranked in the top tier group of the 2010 “Best Universities – Master’s West” category, rated 16th among the public universities in the group and tied for 45th overall. It is the sixth straight year that CSU Stanislaus has been ranked with the top public and private colleges and universities in the first of the three West tier rankings. The U.S. News & World Report’s national rankings represent a comprehensive look at how schools compare based on indicators of excellence gathered from more than 1,400 colleges and universities in the United States.

CSU Stanislaus President Dr. Hamid Shirvani said that the top ranking is once again an acknowledgement of the University’s outstanding faculty and staff and their continuing commitment to make the university one of the best in the country while providing excellent higher education opportunities for a diverse group of students.

CSU Stanislaus rated strongly for its high freshman retention and graduation rates, relatively small class sizes, and high percentage of full-time faculty.

“Our high rating for so many years is a confirmation of the academic excellence and student success at California State University, Stanislaus,” President Shirvani said. “Our University remains committed to building on that excellence.”

The Princeton Review recently recognized CSU Stanislaus as one of the “Best 371 Colleges” in the nation for the fourth straight year. The University was one of 165 colleges and universities ranked as “America’s Best Value Colleges” by the Princeton Review, and one of 123 “Best Western Colleges.”