U.S. News and World Report magazine again ranks the University of Maryland among the 20 best public universities in the nation in the newest edition of the magazine's "Best Colleges" guide, due on newsstands Monday, Aug. 25.

According to the magazine's editors, Maryland ranks 17th, up from 18th a year ago, when the university first entered the top 20. Just five years ago, Maryland ranked 30th on the same list.

Among all major universities, including private schools, Maryland ranked 53rd. The magazine also ranked the undergraduate programs in the Smith School of Business (17th) and the Clark School of Engineering (25th) in the top 25 nationally, and it recognized the university's learning community and first-year experience programs as among the best in the nation.

Including graduate programs, which are ranked more extensively by U.S. News in March, Maryland has at least 67 academic programs from throughout the university among the top 25 in their fields.