Illinois State University’s College of Education has jumped 20 spots in the annual U.S News and World Report rankings of top graduate schools in the nation.

Illinois State placed 84th in the nation in the upcoming U.S. News 2013 Best Graduate Schools publication. Last year, the school ranked at 104.

“This movement in our ranking is testimony to the hard work and dedication of our outstanding faculty members in the College of Education,” said Deborah Curtis, dean of the College of Education. “This ranking is a tangible affirmation that the quality of an Illinois State University graduate degree is highly respected across the nation, and that our alumni are regarded to be among the best.”

U.S. News and World Report bases its findings on expert opinions about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school’s faculty, research, and students.