As an alumni of the University of North Florida, your degree was just made a little more valuable.

For the second consecutive year, UNF has been named as one of the top colleges and universities across the country in the annual “America’s Best Colleges” 2012 list, created by Forbes Magazine.

The University was ranked fourth in Florida among all state universities. UNF was the only Northeast Florida institution of higher learning to make the list and was ranked No. 427 in the nation, up from 491 in last year’s ranking, ahead of the University of South Florida (No. 449) and the University of Central Florida (No. 462).

“The University is now showing up in nearly every national college ranking, putting UNF at the top of some very impressive lists,” said UNF President John Delaney. “While the national recognition is an important benchmark of our quality and value, it’s the small class sizes and individualized attention that have become hallmarks of a UNF education.”

Forbes looked at 650 undergraduate institutions in the country and focused on things that matter the most to students: quality of teaching, great career prospects, high graduation rates and low levels of debt. The ratings don’t attempt to assess a school’s reputation, nor are they a measure of academic selectivity. The magazine’s annual list is compiled in conjunction with the Center for College Affordability and Productivity.

This latest recognition comes on the heels of UNF receiving 13 other national designations, including Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s List of 100 Best Values in Public Colleges for 2011-12; No. 19 Best Buy College, Best College in America and Best College in the South, all by Forbes Magazine; 2012 Best Value Public College, Best College in the Southeast, 2012 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, 2011 Best Value Public College and a top “Green” College by Princeton Review in 2011 and 2012; Best Regional University by U.S. News & World Report, Military Friendly School and among the100 “Coolest Schools” by Sierra magazine.