DU was ranked 53rd in Kiplinger’s annual list of “Best Value in Private Colleges” for 2014, released this Thursday.

The list ranks the top 100 private colleges considered to give students the best value for their money, based on a series of factors which evaluate academic quality and financial cost for students.

Last year, DU received a ranking of 41st, marking a drop this year of 12 places.

University spokespersons did not respond to requests for comment on this year’s ranking.

According to Kiplinger’s website, the ranking is derived based on weighing several factors: competitiveness, graduation rates, cost and financial aid, and student indebtedness.

DU holds a four year graduation rate of 61 percent and an admittance rate of 68 percent. DU’s annual cost is $53,587 with an average of $25,917 awarded in need-based aid.

Three other Colorado universities appeared on Kiplinger’s ranking lists, including Colorado College, ranked 15th on the best values of private colleges list, and the Colorado School Of Mines and the University of Colorado Boulder, which both ranked on the public colleges list at 82 and 98, respectively.

According to the listings, Yale and Princeton Universities hold the best value for students in private colleges, while University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia hold the top two spots in public colleges.