U.S. News & World Report#Best Colleges

File:Attack on Pearl Harbor, Official Report, 1 September 1945 (6460372815).jpg on December 7, 1941]]

File:Mortimer Zuckerman, January 2013-1.jpg, who acquired U.S. News & World Report in October 1984]]

After the closure of United States Daily, which was published between 1926 and 1933, David Lawrence (1888–1973) founded the newspaper United States News in 1933, which was converted to magazine format in 1940.

In 1946, Lawrence founded the magazine World Report. The two magazines covered national and international news separately. In 1948, Lawrence merged them into U.S. News & World Report.{{cite journal |author=David E. Sumner |title=American winners and losers:2001 to 2010 |journal=International Conference on Communication, Media, Technology and Design |date=May 2012 |url=http://www.cmdconf.net/2012/makale/6.pdf |access-date=June 25, 2016 |location=Istanbul |archive-date=September 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160924210704/http://www.cmdconf.net/2012/makale/6.pdf |url-status=live }} He then sold the magazine to his employees. The magazine initially tended to be slightly more conservative than its two primary competitors, Time and Newsweek, focusing more on economic, health, and education stories. It also eschewed sports, entertainment, and celebrity news.{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/620229/US-News-World-Report |title=U.S. News & World Report |access-date=June 24, 2008 |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |year=2008 |archive-date=June 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608022121/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/620229/US-News-World-Report |url-status=live }}

Important milestones in the early history of the magazine include the introduction of the "Washington Whispers" column in 1934, and the "News You Can Use" column in 1952.{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/info/features/about-usnews|title=About U.S. News & World Report|access-date=July 6, 2017|archive-date=July 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170704192420/https://www.usnews.com/info/features/about-usnews|url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/info/articles/2013/05/17/celebrating-80-years |title=Celebrating 80 Years – US News |access-date=2014-10-15 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141016005625/http://www.usnews.com/info/articles/2013/05/17/celebrating-80-years |archive-date=2014-10-16 }} In 1958, the weekly magazine's circulation passed one million reaching two million by 1973.

Since 1983, U.S. News & World Report has been known primarily for its influential ranking and annual reports of colleges and graduate schools, spanning across most fields and subjects. U.S. News & World Report is America's oldest and best-known ranker of academic institutions,{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/us-news-college-rankings-are-denounced-but-not-ignored/2011/09/02/gIQAn6BzzJ_story.html |title=U.S. News college rankings are denounced but not ignored |access-date=September 4, 2011 |newspaper=The Washington Post |year=2011 |archive-date=September 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904102810/http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/us-news-college-rankings-are-denounced-but-not-ignored/2011/09/02/gIQAn6BzzJ_story.html |url-status=live }} and covers the fields of business, law, medicine, engineering, education, social sciences and public affairs, in addition to many other areas.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/rankings |title=U.S. News & World Report: Comprehensive Categories of Academic Institutions |access-date=June 18, 2012 |work=U.S. News & World Report|publisher=U.S. News & World Report, L.P.|year=2012}} Its print edition consistently has been included in national bestseller lists, augmented by online subscriptions. Additional rankings published by U.S. News & World Report include hospitals, medical specialties, and automobiles.

In October 1984, New York City-based publisher and real estate developer Mortimer Zuckerman purchased U.S. News & World Report. Zuckerman had owned the New York Daily News. In 1993, U.S. News & World Report entered the digital world by providing content to CompuServe and in 1995 the website usnews.com was launched.

In 2001, the website won a National Magazine Award for General Excellence Online.{{cite web|url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881066.html|title=2001 National Magazine Awards|publisher=Info Please|access-date=May 5, 2023|archive-date=February 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216100441/http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0881066.html|url-status=live}} In 2007, U.S. News & World Report published its first list of the nation's best high schools. Its ranking methodology included state test scores and documented the success of poor and minority students on the exams, and schools' performance in Advanced Placement exams.

Beginning in June 2008, the magazine reduced its publication frequency in three steps. In June 2008, citing a decline overall in magazine circulation and advertising, U.S. News & World Report announced that it would become a biweekly publication, starting in January 2009.{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/business/media/11mag.html |title=U.S. News Plans to Publish Biweekly and Expand Consumer Focus |access-date=June 24, 2008 |work=The New York Times |date=June 11, 2008 |first=Richard |last=Pérez-Peña |archive-date=June 10, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610053205/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/business/media/11mag.html?_r=1 |url-status=live }} It hoped advertisers would be attracted to the schedule, which allowed ads to stay on newsstands a week longer. However, five months later the magazine changed its frequency again, becoming monthly.{{cite web |url=http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.san&s=94198&Nid=49092&p=966247 |title=Red Ink: 'U.S. News' Goes Monthly, Hearst and Rodale Cut Staff |access-date=June 11, 2008 |work=MediaPost |date=June 11, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120307234522/http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.san&s=94198&Nid=49092&p=966247 |archive-date=March 7, 2012 }}

In August 2008, U.S. News expanded and revamped its online opinion section.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/opinion |title=Political Blogs, Opinions, Commentaries and Forums on Current Issues |work=U.S. News & World Report |publisher=U.S. News & World Report, L.P. |access-date=July 20, 2014 |archive-date=July 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140719183033/http://www.usnews.com/opinion |url-status=live }} The new version of the opinion page included daily new op-ed content as well as the new Thomas Jefferson Street blog.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/opinion |title=Political Blogs, Opinions, Commentaries and Forums on Current Issues |work=U.S. News |access-date=June 30, 2013 |archive-date=June 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629170826/http://www.usnews.com/opinion |url-status=live }} An internal memo was sent to the magazine's staff on November 5, 2010, informing them that the "December issue will be our last print monthly sent to subscribers, whose remaining print and digital replica subscriptions will be filled by other publishers."{{cite web |url=http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=194030 |title=December issue will be our last printed monthly sent to subscribers |access-date=November 5, 2010 |work=Poynter Online |date=November 5, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101106000859/http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=45&aid=194030 |archive-date=November 6, 2010 }} The memo said that the publication would be moving to a primarily digital format but that special issues such as "the college and grad guides, as well as hospital and personal finance guides" would be printed.

Prior to ending physical publication in 2010, U.S. News was generally the third-ranked general United States-based news magazine after Time and Newsweek.{{cite news |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-sacks/americas-best-college-sca_b_45064.html |title=America's Best College Scam |work=The Huffington Post |publisher=AOL|date=April 5, 2007 |first=Peter |last=Sacks |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402215319/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-sacks/americas-best-college-sca_b_45064.html |archive-date=April 2, 2011}} A weekly digital magazine, U.S. News Weekly, introduced in January 2009,{{cite web |url=http://upstart.bizjournals.com/companies/media/2009/01/23/us-news-launching-digital-newsweekly.html?page=all |title='U.S. News' Launching Digital Newsweekly |access-date=2016-04-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910200336/http://upstart.bizjournals.com/companies/media/2009/01/23/us-news-launching-digital-newsweekly.html?page=all |archive-date=2015-09-10}} continued to offer subscription content until it stopped publication at the end of April 2015.U.S. News Digital Weekly. 24 April 2015, Vol. 7 Issue 17, p. 15.

The company is owned by U.S. News & World Report, L.P., a privately held company with editorial headquarters in Washington, D.C., and its advertising, sales, and corporate offices in New York City and New Jersey. The company's move to the Web made it possible for U.S. News & World Report to expand its service journalism with the introduction of several consumer-facing rankings products.

By the early 2010s, under the leadership of Brian Kelly, the company had returned to profitability, largely through its list model, adopted in 2009, and the ease with which that transferred to online publishing.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/value-added-us-news-and-world-report-returns-to-the-ranks-of-profitability/2013/04/27/2e16c306-ae05-11e2-a986-eec837b1888b_story.html|title=Value Added: U.S. News & World Report returns to the ranks of profitability|newspaper=The Washington Post |date=Apr 28, 2013 |first=Thomas |last=Heath |access-date=March 11, 2017|archive-date=March 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312193601/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/value-added-us-news-and-world-report-returns-to-the-ranks-of-profitability/2013/04/27/2e16c306-ae05-11e2-a986-eec837b1888b_story.html|url-status=live}}

The leadership team includes executive chairman Eric Gertler, president and chief executive officer William Holiber, chief financial officer and chief operating officer Neil Maheshwari, and Dafna Linzner, the editorial director. Brian Kelly was the chief content officer from April 2007 to August 2019 and Kim Castro was the chief content officer until 2023. The company is owned by media proprietor Mortimer Zuckerman.

{{Primary sources|section|date=March 2025}}

The first U.S. News & World Report{{'}}s rankings was its "Who Runs America?" surveys. They were published in the spring annually from 1974 to 1986. The magazine cover for each release featured persons selected by the USN & WR as being the ten most powerful persons in the United States. Each edition of the series listed the president of the United States as the most powerful person, but the #2 position included people like Secretary of State Henry Kissinger (1974),{{cite web|url=http://backissues.com/issue/US-News-and-World-Report-April-22-1974|title=U.S. News & World Report April 22, 1974 – Product Details |website=backissues.com |access-date=December 6, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220122934/http://backissues.com/issue/US-News-and-World-Report-April-22-1974|url-status=dead}} Federal Reserve Chairmen Paul Volcker and Arthur Burns (each listed multiple years), and U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (1979).{{cite web|url=http://backissues.com/issue/US-News-and-World-Report-April-16-1979|title=U.S. News & World Report April 16, 1979 – Product Details |website=backissues.com |access-date=December 6, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220121143/http://backissues.com/issue/US-News-and-World-Report-April-16-1979|url-status=dead}} Most of the top ten each year were government officials; occasionally others were included like TV anchormen Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather, Chase Manhattan Bank Chairman David Rockefeller, AFL–CIO leader George Meany, and consumer advocate Ralph Nader. The only woman to make the top ten list was First Lady Rosalynn Carter in 1980.{{cite web|url=http://backissues.com/issue/US-News-and-World-Report-April-14-1980|website=backissues.com |title=U.S. News & World Report April 14, 1980 – Product Details|access-date=December 6, 2016|archive-date=December 20, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220122253/http://backissues.com/issue/US-News-and-World-Report-April-14-1980|url-status=dead }}

In addition to these overall top ten persons, the publication also included top persons in each of several fields, including education, business, finance, journalism, and other areas. The survey was discontinued after its 1986 edition.

{{U.S. News top 10}}

{{Main|U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking}}

{{Excerpt|U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking|hat=no}}

{{main|U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Ranking}}

In October 2014, U.S. News & World Report published its inaugural "Best Global Universities" rankings.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/articles/overview |title=U.S. News Releases Inaugural Best Global Universities Rankings |website=US News |date=Oct 28, 2014 |first= Devon |last=Haynie |access-date=2014-10-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030044444/http://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/articles/overview |archive-date=2014-10-30 }} Inside Higher Ed noted that U.S. News was entering into the international college and university rankings area which was "dominated by three major global university rankings", namely the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, the Academic Ranking of World Universities, and the QS World University Rankings.{{cite web | title='U.S. News' to Issue New Global University Rankings | url=https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/10/10/us-news-issue-new-global-university-rankings | publisher=Inside Higher Ed |date=October 9, 2014 | first=Elizabeth |last=Redden | access-date=May 5, 2023 | archive-date=April 27, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427051914/https://www.insidehighered.com/quicktakes/2014/10/10/us-news-issue-new-global-university-rankings | url-status=live }} Robert Morse, "U.S. News's chief data strategist," said that "it's natural for U.S. News to get into this space". He said that U.S. News "will also be the first American publisher to enter the global rankings space".

{{main|U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals Rankings}}

Since 1990, U.S. News & World Report has compiled Best Hospitals rankings.{{cite web | url=http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals | title= U.S. News Best Hospitals | publisher=U.S. News & World Report | access-date=2014-10-15 | archive-date=July 17, 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160717114343/http://health.usnews.com/best-hospitals | url-status=live }} The rankings are specifically based on a different methodology which looks at difficult (high acuity) cases within 16 specialties including cancer; diabetes and endocrinology; ear, nose, and throat; gastroenterology, geriatrics, gynecology; heart and heart surgery; kidney disorders; neurology and neurosurgery; ophthalmology, orthopedics, psychiatry, pulmonology, rehabilitation, rheumatology, and urology.{{cite web | last = Lowes | first = Robert | title = Joint Commission's Top-Hospital List Still Missing Big Names | publisher = Medscape Medical News | url = http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/771280 | date = 2012-09-20 | access-date = May 5, 2023 | archive-date = April 25, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230425235337/https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/771280 | url-status = live }}{{cite web | last = Comarow | first = Avery | title = A Look Inside the Hospital Rankings | publisher = U.S. News & World Report | url = http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/best-hospitals/2008/07/10/a-look-inside-the-hospital-rankings.html | date = 2008-07-10 | access-date = September 14, 2008 | archive-date = September 15, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080915000036/http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/best-hospitals/2008/07/10/a-look-inside-the-hospital-rankings.html | url-status = live }} In addition to rankings for each of these specialties, hospitals that excel in many U.S. News areas are ranked in the Honor Roll.

{{Primary sources|section|date=January 2025}}

Since 2007, U.S. News has ranked new and used automobiles. The rankings span over 30 classes of cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, wagons, and sports cars. Each automobile receives an overall score and a performance, interior, and recommendation score. Scores are based on the critics selected by U.S. News, as well as reliability and safety data.[https://cars.usnews.com/methodology How We Rank New Cars | U.S. News Best Cars] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401134614/https://cars.usnews.com/methodology |date=April 1, 2018 }}. cars.usnews.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-12. U.S. News also produces annual "Best Cars for the Money" and "Best Cars for Families" awards across approximately 20 classes of cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans. Money award winners are derived by combining vehicle price and five-year cost of ownership with the opinion of the automotive press,Page, Jamie (2014-02-12). [https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-cars-for-the-money Best Cars for the Money Awards 2014 {{!}} U.S. News Best Cars] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312000000/http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Best-Cars-for-the-Money/ |date=March 12, 2009 }}. cars.usnews.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-12. while family awards are tabulated by combining critics' opinions with the vehicle's availability of family-friendly features and interior space, as well as safety and reliability data. Money and family award winners are announced in February and March of each year, respectively.Page, Jamie (2014-03-12). [https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-cars-for-families Best Cars for Families Awards 2014 {{!}} U.S. News Best Cars]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190320165421/https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/best-cars-for-families |date=March 20, 2019 }}. cars.usnews.com. Retrieved on 2014-04-12.

{{Primary sources|section|date=January 2025}}

File:Map, USA, states, education ranking 2019 - U.S. News & World Report.svg

In 2017, U.S. News published its first ranking of all 50 U.S. states, incorporating metrics in seven categories: health care, education, crime and corrections, infrastructure, opportunity, economy, and government. The weighting of the individual categories in determining overall rank was informed by surveys on what matters most to residents. Massachusetts occupied the top rank, and Louisiana ranked worst.{{Cite web

|url=https://media.beam.usnews.com/b5/c5/ecf250de4930b201f74063d5150e/171206-best-states-overall-rankings-2017.pdf

|title=Best States 2017

|year=2018

|publisher=U.S. News & World Report

|access-date=2020-01-17

|archive-date=February 3, 2020

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203173814/https://media.beam.usnews.com/b5/c5/ecf250de4930b201f74063d5150e/171206-best-states-overall-rankings-2017.pdf

|url-status=live

}}

In 2018, the eight categories were: health care, education, economy, opportunity, infrastructure, crime and corrections, fiscal stability, and quality of life. Iowa was ranked first, and Louisiana ranked worst.{{Cite web

|url=https://media.beam.usnews.com/ba/b2/c75f31c94080b1d8a17931bcddd0/171206-best-states-overall-rankings-2018.pdf

|title=Best States 2018

|year=2018

|publisher=U.S. News & World Report

|access-date=2020-01-17

|archive-date=February 3, 2020

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203173838/https://media.beam.usnews.com/ba/b2/c75f31c94080b1d8a17931bcddd0/171206-best-states-overall-rankings-2018.pdf

|url-status=live

}} In 2019, natural environment replaced the quality of life category. Washington occupied the top rank, and Louisiana ranked worst.{{Cite web

|url=https://media.beam.usnews.com/69/4f/9ec3a3e94c4080b146d64d27288a/190508-best-states-overall-rankings-2019.pdf

|title=Best States 2019

|year=2019

|publisher=U.S. News & World Report

|access-date=2020-01-17

|archive-date=January 16, 2020

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200116034703/https://media.beam.usnews.com/69/4f/9ec3a3e94c4080b146d64d27288a/190508-best-states-overall-rankings-2019.pdf

|url-status=live

}}

No ranking was published in 2020. In 2021, Washington, Minnesota, and Utah topped the list; New Mexico, Mississippi, and Louisiana were ranked as the worst.{{Cite web

|url=https://www.usnews.com/media/best-states/overall-rankings-2021.pdf

|title=Best States 2021

|year=2021

|publisher=U.S. News & World Report

|access-date=2022-07-31}}

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