The annual U.S. News and World Report’s rankings of the country’s top colleges placed Pitt four slots below last year’s position.

Pitt placed 62nd in the rankings for 2014, which were released Tuesday, moving the University four spots below its position at 58th last year. Among the nation’s public schools, Pitt was ranked 21st, tying with the University of Maryland, College Park.

Princeton University and Harvard University placed first and second in the rankings, respectively, after tying for first last year.

Among Pennsylvania colleges, Pitt placed fourth, with the University of Pennsylvania (seventh overall), Carnegie Mellon University (23rd overall) and Penn State University (37th overall) finishing ahead in the rankings. Pitt beat out Temple University (121st overall) to come in second among Pennsylvania’s state-related universities, while Lincoln University was unranked in this year’s list.

Although Pitt slipped in the rankings, Vice Chancellor for Communications Ken Service pointed out that the U.S. News and World Report’s criteria have changed since last year.

“In particular, the magazine altered its methodology to reduce the importance of class rankings and selectivity, two areas in which Pitt has been steadily increasing,” he wrote in an email.

Under this year’s ranking system, universities were ranked according to measures such as reputation of undergraduate programs among academics, retention and graduation rates, faculty salary, class size and how selective the school is toward applicants.

According to the figures U.S. News and World Report compiled, the average retention rate for freshmen who entered Pitt between 2003 and 2006 was 92 percent, and 79 percent of students graduate within six years.

The ratio of students to faculty members at Pitt is 14-to-1, and about 39 percent of Pitt’s classes have fewer than 20 students.

According to the rankings, the nation’s guidance counselors rank Pitt 69th in the nation. Pitt’s fall 2012 acceptance rate was about 56 percent, and the report rated Pitt’s admissions as “somewhat selective.”

Pitt’s School of Medicine was ranked 16th in research and 24th in primary care. The School of Law placed 91st. The Katz Graduate School of Business came in 61st. The Swanson School of Engineering placed 45th.

Service said that the rankings are one way that prospective students can evaluate their options.

“The key factor, however, is that once again, Pitt has been ranked among the best public universities in the nation,” he wrote in an email.