University of Michigan ranked as the No. 4 public university in a recent U.S. News report.

The U.S. News and World Report ranked the University of Michigan 28th nationally for undergraduate education, up a spot from last year.

U-M came in as the No. 4 public university, behind the University of California's Berkley and Los Angeles campuses and the University of Virginia. The U.S. News rankings were released Tuesday, Sept. 10.

Strong rankings help U-M recruit students and assist perspective students in benchmarking schools, but U-M officials often say that they try not to give the rankings too much weight internally.

Here's how U-M has ranked on the U.S. News rankings in recent years.

• 2014: 28
• 2013: 29
• 2012: 28
• 2011: 29
• 2010: 27
• 2009: 26
• 2008: 25
• 2007: 24

Princeton University ranked as the top university in America. Dartmouth College, where former U-M provost Philip Hanlon began as president this year, ranked 10th.

Michigan State University ranked 29th among public schools and 73rd nationally.

With the new rankings, the Stephen M. Ross School of Business undergraduate program ranks No. 2 nationally, tied with U-C Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is up from No. 3 last year.

The College of Engineering undergraduate program again ranks No. 7 nationally, same as last year.

Earlier this year U.S. News ranked graduate programs around the nation. In those rankings, U-M's engineering school ranked No. 9, the business school ranked No. 14, the medical school ranked No. 8, the law school ranked No. 9 and the education college ranked No. 11.

• Read about the methodology used by U.S. News to determine the rankings.

Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for the Ann Arbor News. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@mlive.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.