UNLV ranks among the nation's 10 most diverse universities for undergraduate students, according to the 2012 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges rankings.

The publication, which annually ranks the nation's top universities in a variety of categories, used student enrollment data from the 2010-2011 school year to calculate the proportion of minority students to the overall mix of campus ethnic groups. According to the report, the Campus Ethnic Diversity category identifies colleges where students are most likely to encounter undergraduates from racial or ethnic groups different from their own.

The formula produces a diversity index from 0.0 to 1.0. UNLV's diversity index was 0.69, placing it tenth nationally for campus ethnic diversity.

"This is certainly welcome news that our campus population is growing into a more accurate reflection of our city," said Luis Valera, UNLV interim vice president of diversity initiatives and government relations. "This ranking serves as a message about what is going to be expected of UNLV in the coming years as we look to serve minority students effectively and continue to deliver a positive educational experience."

Categories considered for the diversity index include African-Americans who are non-Hispanic, Hispanic, American Indian, Pacific Islander, whites who are non-Hispanic, and multiracial. The calculations excluded international students since many universities do not report each international student's ethnicity separately.

Nearly half of UNLV's 2010 undergraduate student body reported being part of a racial or ethnic minority. Of that, Hispanic students make up the largest minority undergraduate student group at UNLV at close to 18 percent.

"This national recognition is aligned with our commitment to serve the region and to build an educated workforce that reflects our community's diverse heritage," said UNLV President Neal Smatresk.

Visit U.S. News & World Report to view the complete list of rankings.