How Did Area Colleges Stack Up in U.S. News Rankings?

Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, was ranked No. 12, tied with Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Among schools closer to or actually in DC, Georgetown landed at No. 20, while the University of Virginia was No. 23. (Also good enough to be the second-highest ranked public school on the list of the top 200 universities.)

Other local schools making the cut are:

• College of William and Mary, No. 32
• George Washington University, No. 52
• University of Maryland, No. 62
• Virginia Tech, No. 69
• American University, No. 75
• Howard University, No. 142

As for Howard University, the historically black college in Northwest DC has been tumbling down the U.S. News chart for several years. Just four years ago, it was No. 96, but Howard has faced several challenges lately. Enrollment is down, more than 50 staff members were laid off earlier this year, and Howard University Hospital forced its employees to take 12 furlough days this summer. Additionally, NBC4 reports, the school’s bond rating is in danger of being downgraded.

U.S. News‘ college rankings are weighed most heavily toward admissions selectivity, student retention, and graduation rates, and does not change much at the top from year to year. Princeton, Harvard, and Yale took the top three spots in the 2014 rankings. (Last year, Princeton and Harvard tied for first, and Yale was No. 3.)