
U.S. News & World Report is a well-established publication that provides in-depth rankings and reviews of various aspects of life in the United States.
The publication was founded in 1933 and has since become a trusted source for information on education, healthcare, and business.
U.S. News & World Report is particularly known for its annual college rankings, which help prospective students and their families make informed decisions about higher education.
The publication's rankings are based on a variety of factors, including academic reputation, graduation rates, and faculty quality.
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Early Years: 20th Century
David Lawrence founded the newspaper United States News in 1933, which later became a magazine in 1940.
Lawrence also created another magazine called World Report in 1946, which covered news from America and around the world separately.
In 1948, David Lawrence decided to combine the two magazines, creating U.S. News & World Report.
The magazine was usually a bit more traditional than its rivals, Time and Newsweek, focusing on topics like money, health, and education.

It did not cover sports, entertainment, or celebrity news, setting it apart from other publications.
The "Washington Whispers" column was introduced in 1934, and the "News You Can Use" column began in 1952.
By 1958, over one million copies of the weekly magazine were sold, and this number grew to two million by 1973.
Mortimer Zuckerman, a publisher from New York City, bought U.S. News & World Report in 1984, also owning the New York Daily News.
In 1993, the magazine started sharing its content online, and by 1995, its own website, usnews.com, was launched.
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Ownership and Management
U.S. News & World Report is owned by a privately held company called U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
The company has its editorial headquarters in Washington, D.C., and its advertising, sales, and corporate offices are in New York City and New Jersey.
The leadership team includes executive chairman Eric Gertler, president and chief executive officer William Holiber, chief financial officer and chief operating officer Neil Maheshwari, and Dafna Linzner, the editorial director.
The company's owner is media proprietor Mortimer Zuckerman.
Brian Kelly was the chief content officer from April 2007 to August 2019, and Kim Castro held the position until 2023.
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Who Runs America?
The "Who Runs America?" surveys by U.S. News & World Report were a fascinating look at the most powerful people in the country. From 1974 to 1986, the magazine published its rankings every spring, featuring the top ten most powerful individuals on its cover.
The president of the United States was always at the top of the list, but the second spot was often held by influential government officials like Secretary of State Henry Kissinger in 1974. Federal Reserve Chairmen Paul Volcker and Arthur Burns were also frequently included.
Most of the top ten individuals each year were government officials, with occasional appearances by prominent figures from other fields like TV news anchors Walter Cronkite and Dan Rather. Consumer advocate Ralph Nader was also included in the list.
The only woman to make the top ten list was First Lady Rosalynn Carter in 1980, a notable exception in a list dominated by men. The surveys also included top individuals in various fields, such as education, business, finance, and journalism.
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Who Owns?
U.S. News & World Report, L.P. is the company that owns U.S. News.
The company is privately held, which means it's not publicly traded on the stock market. Its main editorial office is located in Washington, D.C.
Eric Gertler serves as the executive chairman, and William Holiber is the president and CEO. Dafna Linzner is the editorial director.
Mortimer Zuckerman is the media proprietor who owns U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
The company's leadership team has played a key role in its success, including returning to profitability in the early 2010s through its list model.
Rankings and Reports
U.S. News & World Report has been publishing rankings and reports since 1933, but their most notable ones started in the 1990s. They began ranking hospitals in 16 different medical areas, including cancer, diabetes, and heart surgery.
These rankings are used to identify top-performing hospitals, and some are even placed on an "Honor Roll" for excelling in many areas. The rankings have been published annually since 1990.
The report also covers other areas, such as education, states, and cars. For example, the Best Colleges Ranking has been published since 1983, and the Best States Ranking started in 2017, looking at metrics in seven categories, including health care and education.
Colleges
The U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking has been a staple in the education world since 1983. It's considered the most influential institutional ranking in the country.
The ranking has been around for over three decades, starting in 1983.
Several education experts have denounced the Best Colleges rankings, criticizing their methodology and impact.
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Hospitals Rankings
U.S. News & World Report has been creating Best Hospitals rankings since 1990.
The rankings use a special method to evaluate hospitals, focusing on how well they handle difficult cases in 16 different medical areas.
These areas include cancer, diabetes, ear, nose, and throat, and gastroenterology, among others.
Hospitals that excel in many of these areas are placed on an "Honor Roll."
The rankings are specifically based on a methodology that looks at difficult cases within 16 specialties.
Hospitals are ranked in each of these specialties, and those that excel in many areas are ranked in the Honor Roll.
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U.S. News & World Report has compiled Best Hospitals rankings since 1990, using a methodology that evaluates hospitals in 16 different medical areas.
These areas include cancer, diabetes and endocrinology, ear, nose, and throat, and gastroenterology, among others.
In addition to rankings for each specialty, hospitals that excel in many areas are ranked in the Honor Roll.
Cars Rankings
U.S. News has been ranking new and used automobiles since 2007.
They cover over 30 types of cars, trucks, SUVs, minivans, wagons, and sports cars. Each vehicle gets an overall score.
The rankings also include scores for performance, interior, and how much it is recommended. These scores are based on what many trusted car experts think.
U.S. News also uses information on how reliable and safe the cars are in their rankings.
The rankings are based on the opinions of car experts selected by U.S. News, as well as reliability and safety data.
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U.S. News also produces annual "Best Cars for the Money" and "Best Cars for Families" awards across approximately 20 classes of cars, trucks, SUVs, and minivans.
Money award winners are derived by combining vehicle price and five-year cost of ownership with the opinion of the automotive press.
Family awards are tabulated by combining critics' opinions with the vehicle's availability of family-friendly features and interior space, as well as safety and reliability data.
Money and family award winners are announced in February and March of each year, respectively.
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States Rankings
States Rankings are a fascinating topic, and U.S. News has been publishing rankings since 2017. Massachusetts was ranked first that year, while Louisiana was last.
These rankings are based on various factors, including health care, education, crime and corrections, infrastructure, opportunity, economy, and government. The importance of each area is determined by surveys that ask what matters most to people living in those states.
In 2018, U.S. News expanded the number of categories to eight, including fiscal stability and quality of life. Iowa was ranked first that year, while Louisiana remained at the bottom.
The rankings have been published annually since 2017, with the exception of 2020. In 2019, the category "quality of life" was replaced by "natural environment". Washington was ranked first in 2019, with Louisiana still ranking last.
Here's a quick rundown of the top and bottom states in each year:
It's worth noting that the rankings are based on a combination of metrics, and the weight given to each category can vary from year to year.
Methodology and Data
U.S. News & World Report uses a methodology to rank nearly 1,500 universities and colleges.
The publication weighs various factors in its rankings, with "Outcomes" accounting for 52% of the total score. This includes metrics such as graduation rates, job placement, and student debt.
The other factors considered are "Faculty resources" (11%), "Expert opinion" (20%), "Financial resources" (8%), "Student selectivity" (5%), and "Faculty Research" (4%). These factors provide a comprehensive view of a university's academic quality and resources.
Here's a breakdown of the factors considered in the U.S. News & World Report rankings:
- "Outcomes" (52%): graduation rates, job placement, and student debt
- "Faculty resources" (11%): faculty-to-student ratio, faculty salaries, and research opportunities
- "Expert opinion" (20%): presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions rate the academic quality of peer institutions
- "Financial resources" (8%): average per-student spending on instruction, research, and student services
- "Student selectivity" (5%): standardized test scores and high school class ranking of admitted students
- "Faculty Research" (4%): citations to papers and research attributed to faculty
Methodology
To understand how the U.S. News & World Report rankings work, it's essential to know the methodology behind them. The rankings are based on a combination of five factors: Outcomes, Faculty resources, Expert opinion, Financial resources, and Student selectivity.
The "Outcomes" factor accounts for 52% of the ranking, which is a significant portion. This factor takes into account things like graduation rates and job placement.
Faculty resources make up 11% of the ranking, which includes things like the average per-student spending on instruction, research, and student services. This factor gives an idea of the resources available to students.
Expert opinion is another crucial factor, making up 20% of the ranking. This involves presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions rating the academic quality of peer institutions on a scale of 1 to 5.
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Financial resources account for 8% of the ranking, which includes the average per-student spending on instruction, research, student services, and related educational expenditures.
Student selectivity makes up 5% of the ranking, which includes the standardized test scores of admitted students and the proportion of admitted students in upper percentiles of their high school class.
Here's a breakdown of the factors that contribute to the U.S. News & World Report rankings:
Some universities have made it a specific goal to reach a particular level in the U.S. News & World Report rankings, which shows just how important this methodology is.
Naics Code Meaning
The NAICS code is a crucial piece of information for any business or organization. The NAICS code for U.S. News & World Report is 511120.
NAICS codes are used to categorize businesses based on their primary activity. The NAICS code for U.S. News & World Report specifically is 511120.
Understanding the NAICS code can help you identify the industry and sector of a business. The NAICS code 511120 for U.S. News & World Report indicates that it's a newspaper or magazine publishing company.
The NAICS code can also help you find similar businesses or competitors.
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Revenue and Reception

U.S. News & World Report saw a significant spike in traffic on their 2014 release day, with 2.6 million unique visitors and 18.9 million page views.
Their website is clearly popular, but what about their financials? The annual revenue of U.S. News & World Report was $109 million in 2025.
This revenue is likely a result of their online presence and other business ventures, but one thing is clear: they're doing something right!
Annual Revenue
The annual revenue of U.S. News & World Report is a significant aspect of its financial health. The company's annual revenue was a substantial $109 million in 2025.
This figure highlights the publication's financial stability and ability to sustain itself over time.
Reception
Usnews.com saw a significant spike in traffic on their 2014 release day, attracting 2.6 million unique visitors.
These visitors generated a massive 18.9 million page views, indicating a strong interest in the content.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to U.S. News and World Report magazine?
U.S. News and World Report transitioned from a weekly print magazine to primarily online content in 2010. Today, it focuses on rankings and guides for education, health, finance, and more.
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