The Brown & White

U.S. News and World Report ranked Lehigh the 35th best college in America, a drop in four places from 31st last year.

Tying Lehigh for 35th place were Georgia Institute of Technology, University of California San Diego, University of Rochester and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Lehigh's graduation and retention rate earned the 32nd spot, alumni giving earned 18th and student selectivity ranked 25th in the magazine's annual rankings.

Lehigh was ranked 27th for best value, and the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science is 38th in the nation for best undergraduate engineering programs whose highest degree is a Ph. D.

"We should be very proud of the fact that Lehigh is able to compete favorably in this environment," said S. David Wu, dean of the engineering college.

Some of the business and engineering schools' integrated programs, such as integrated product design, "are distinctive, high quality, and truly capitalize on the rich multidisciplinary environment Lehigh offers," Wu said.

Sarah Cooke, Director of University Communications, said the university appreciates the recognition.

Cooke said that while rankings can provide guidance to students and parents throughout the college search, many other aspects should be considered.

"Universities have many different dimensions and serve very diverse constituencies," Wu said. "To make fair and comprehensive assessment is difficult."

Wu also said that if a different set of metrics had been used to evaluate universities, including placement record, alumni accomplishments, full-time faculty engagement and academic rigor, Lehigh's ranking would have been higher.