Forbes has once again recognized the University of Arizona for its combination of first-rate educational opportunities and affordable pricing.

The UA was ranked No. 62 in the fourth annual "Best Value Colleges" list – a 46-spot jump from last year's ranking. The UA's overall score placed it at No. 34 among public universities and No. 41 among research institutions.

"I am so proud to see this 46-spot jump from last year's Forbes ranking. It is an incredible reflection of the University of Arizona's efforts to ensure that our students feel confident that they are making a wise educational and financial decision," said UA President Robert C. Robbins. "We take tremendous pride in the value of our degrees and our ability to prepare students across disciplines for personal and professional success."

Forbes ranks 300 colleges and universities by comparing data on 645 institutions across all 50 states. Schools are scored based on quality, net price, net debt, alumni earnings, timely graduation and access for low-income students.

Schools earned their ranking based on a formula that weighs a vareity of factors as follows:

• 20% Forbes 2018 Top Colleges ranking
• 20% student debt
• 20% alumni earnings
• 20% net price
• 10% graduation rate
• 10% grant recipients

In previous rankings, Forbes placed the UA among its top 200 colleges and ranked it No. 83 among America's best employers.

In January, the UA was also named a "Best Value" by The Princeton Review as one of 200 U.S. higher education institutions that excelled in the publication's return-on-investment rating.