U.S. News and World Report ranked Fresno State as the third-best public university in the nation in terms of graduation-rate performance in a report issued Sept. 10, according to a university press release.

For the second consecutive year, Fresno State has been recognized as No. 3 for public universities and No. 5 among all universities nationwide.

The graduation-rate performance is based on the university’s actual performance compared with its predicted performance based on student demographics, the release stated.

“Fresno State’s continued recognition in these national rankings speaks to the transformative educational opportunity we offer to our 25,000 students,” University President Dr. Joseph I. Castro said in the release.

“About 80 percent of our graduates stay and work in the Valley. By providing our students with a quality and affordable education, Fresno State is preparing a new generation of bold leaders who will guide the region to new heights of success.”

Fresno State was also ranked at No. 2 in the category “Least Percent of Grads with Debt” among public universities and No. 7 among all national universities.

According to the release, 47 percent of the 2019 graduating class will have an average debt of $18,308, compared with the national average student debt of $28,245.

Fresno State was also ranked at No. 205 in the magazine’s overall rankings, compared with last year’s rank at 223. It also climbed the ranking in the public university list, coming in at No. 112, improving upon last year’s No. 129 ranking.

Of the 23 CSU campuses, Fresno State was one of only four to be ranked in U.S. News’ national list, the release stated. The other campuses being San Diego State University, CSU Fullerton and San Francisco State, with SDSU being the only CSU ranked higher at No. 129.

The U.S. News ranking system is determined by several factors. The most weighted of which include graduation and retention rates and undergraduate academic reputation.

The U.S. News ranking comes just a month after Fresno State was ranked as No. 24 by Washington Monthly, a D.C.-based magazine which ranks universities based on social mobility, research and service.