For the fourth time, U.S.News & World Report magazine ranked Tennessee Tech University one of the "Top Public Universities in the South" for its ranking category. And this year TTU is the only Tennessee school included on the short list of 11 institutions.

TTU is also again ranked as one of the "Best Universities" overall in its category, which includes both public and private schools, for the South. TTU is the highest ranked Tennessee public university in that category as well. This is the sixth year the university has earned some type of top-level rankings by the publication.

The rankings were released today for the 2006 edition of U.S.News & World Report's "America's Best Colleges" publication, which will hit the newsstands this weekend. Most recently TTU was named a top southern public university in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

"These types of rankings are good indicators of our priorities as an institution," says President Bob Bell. "We have traditionally made the success of our students our primary focus, and that is reflected here. Our entire campus should be proud of this achievement."

The category in which TTU is ranked is "Universities-Master's." According to the magazine, universities included in this group "provide a full range of undergraduate and master's programs" and only a small number of doctoral programs, if any. TTU offers three different Ph.D.-level programs. Schools in this category are also ranked within four geographic areas, and only 64 were included among the Best in the South.

TTU tied for the 11th slot in the Top Public Universities for the South and tied for number 36 among the Best Universities in the South (which includes public and private schools).

Rankings are based on data the magazine gathers from each school "for up to 15 indicators of academic excellence," according to U.S.News & World Report. The main indicators the magazine uses to rank academic quality and the weight given to each include peer assessment (25 percent), retention (25 percent), faculty resources (20 percent), student selectivity (15 percent), financial resources (10 percent), and alumni giving rate (5 percent).

TTU's performance indicators reflect its high rankings. The TTU peer assessment score was 3.0 out of 5.0. TTU's average freshman retention rate is 71 percent, 48 percent of TTU's classes have 20 students or less, and 54 percent of its freshmen scored in the top 25 percent of their high school classes.

For more details on TTU's ranking and the U.S.News & World Report Best Colleges guide, visit the TTU web site at www.tntech.edu.