LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – U.S. News & World Report's 2006 edition of America's Best Colleges has again ranked Rider University in the top tier of northern regional universities under the designation of “Best Universities – Master.”

In addition to the U.S. News ranking, Princeton Review has again ranked Rider among the top 15 percent of colleges and universities in the nation in its 2006 edition of The Best 361 Colleges.

“We are pleased to be ranked in the top tier again,” said Rider President Mordechai Rozanski.  “We take great pride in attracting and graduating talented and motivated students with diverse backgrounds from across the nation and around the world. This recognition is a tribute to our dedicated faculty, staff and administrators who provide our students with close, personalized attention and an environment that inspires intellectual and social engagement.”

Ninety-six percent of Rider’s full-time faculty members hold doctoral or other appropriate advanced degrees. Full professors teach at all levels. There are no teaching assistants in the classroom or laboratories. These facts, coupled with a student:faculty ratio of 13:1, make possible top quality instruction in the classroom, as well as personal attention to students’ individual needs.

Premier national accreditation in business, accounting, teacher education, music and counseling services also validate the University’s academic stature.

The undergraduate and graduate programs in the College of Business Administration are accredited by AACSB International International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. The accounting program also holds specialized AACSB International accreditation for its undergraduate and graduate programs. Elementary and secondary education programs and their applicable graduate programs on both the Lawrenceville and Princeton campuses are accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The undergraduate and graduate music programs of Westminster Choir College are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). In addition, Rider’s graduate program in counseling services holds the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) accreditation for its school counseling and community counseling options.