Love them or hate them, the newest U.S. News & World Report annual rankings of colleges and universities are out today.

Minnesota schools performed much as they did last year, with Carleton College still among the top 10 "Best Liberal Arts Colleges" in the nation and the University of Minnesota's Twin Cities campus remaining 61st among the "Best National Universities."

The University of Wisconsin-Madison got 39th in that category.

The magazine's list -- based on graduation rates, class size, peer assessments and other factors -- is an influential one for students and parents making their college picks. But in recent years more college presidents have argued it's a numbers game that relies too heavily on reputation.

Several Minnesota schools ranked among the best liberal arts colleges for 2010:

Carleton College tied for 8th. Macalester College in St. Paul came in at 29th. St. Olaf College sat at 49th. St. John's University, the College of St. Benedict and Gustavus Adolphus College also placed among the top 100.

Others were named in a list of best universities that award master's degrees:

Hamline University nabbed No. 9 among 139 in the Midwest. Bethel University got 14th. St. Catherine University, Augsburg College, the College of St. Scholastica, the University of Minnesota Duluth and Winona State University also landed among the top 50 in that category.

The complete list is at www.usnews.com.

JENNA ROSS