The University of St. Thomas, once a small liberal arts college and now a comprehensive urban university, has been ranked as one of the top 20 Catholic universities in the nation. 

The U.S. News Best Colleges report ranked St. Thomas in the top 20 Catholic universities, in addition to being ranked in the top national universities, the University of St. Thomas Newsroom said. The university ranked 133 out of 389 national colleges, which is an increase from last year's rank of 139. 

“St. Thomas will always place a greater importance on student outcomes than on rankings, but it is still encouraging to see efforts to strengthen our reputation for academic excellence are getting noticed,” St. Thomas President Julie Sullivan told the Newsroom. 

The university finished in a three-way tie among Catholic universities at number 17 on the list, along with Seton Hall University and the University of Dayton. 

With St. Thomas now offering more today for students than it did in the past, the school has been able to rise among the ranks. For this reason, many peer schools and colleges are more aware of the University of St. Thomas now than they were in the past. 

“We talk a lot about our mission to serve the common good at St. Thomas, but to see our efforts increasingly recognized by our peers validates we’re doing more than talking— we’re taking real actions,” Executive Vice President and Provost Richard Plumb told the Newsroom.

Besides transforming into an urban university, St. Thomas has also ranked among the best colleges for veterans to attend. It's ranking improved to 93 this year, which keeps the university in the top 100 for the second year in a row. 

The university's School of Engineering has also ranked in the top 50 schools for engineering for the seventh year in a row. It is ranked at 33 this year, improving from last year's rank of 38.