Much has been made of colleges' and universities' graduation rates of late. The rates figure heavily into a proposal announced in August by President Barack Obama that would see them tied to federal funding. More recently, the data made waves after receiving more weight in the formula used by U.S. News to compile its "Best Colleges" rankings.  

Placing too much concentration on these numbers is likely to do more harm than good—think colleges graduating students to improve their standing rather than because those students are ready. Still, it's interesting to look at how the top 11 colleges taking the top 10 spots in U.S. News' National University Rankings compare to each other, and overall, when only four-year graduation rates are taken into account.

Here's where they stand:

[Note: Due to ties, there really are 11 schools in the top 10 spots on U.S. News' National University Rankings, which is why you'll see 11 universities below.]

1. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 4
Graduation Rate: 90%

With the highest graduation rate in the Ivy League, New York's Columbia University rises past Princeton, Harvard and Yale to claim the top spot among the top 10. Overall, however, the school ties for No. 5 with College of the Holy Cross, being bested by Williams College, Carleton College, Bowdoin College and No. 1 Webb Institute, which has a 92% graduation rate.

2. YALE UNIVERSITY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 3
Graduation Rate: 89%

Yale's 89% graduation rate bumps it up a spot, but it still comes in tied at No. 7 overall. Notable schools also sharing that spot include Boston College, Georgetown University and the University of Notre Dame.

3. DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 10
Graduation Rate: 88%

The 11th school in the National University Rankings' top 10, Dartmouth is tied with the California Institute of Technology on the original list. Of the Ivy Leagues, its eight-spot jump is easily the most impressive. In the greater graduation rate picture, however, it ranks No. 15 alongside names like Johns Hopkins University, Washington University in St. Louis and the next school on our list.

3. PRINCETON UNIVERSITY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 1
Graduation Rate: 88%

Though looking at the top 10 based on graduation rates doesn't cause Princeton to plummet from its top position, it still falls out of the top two when compared to its fellow "top 10" national universities. Still, going from No. 1 to a tie for No. 15 overall based on a single metric would likely be infuriating for the admissions office.

5. DUKE UNIVERSITY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 7
Graduation Rate: 87%

Duke's graduation rate gives it a two-spot bump in the top 10, placing it above two ivy Leagues. Equally notable, it ties for No. 21 among all national universities alongside the likes of Cornell, as well as Centre College, University of Virginia, the United States Naval Academy and Wesleyan University.

5. UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 7
Graduation Rate: 87%

Cornell isn't the only Ivy League tied with Duke at No. 21. The University of Pennsylvania also jumps two spots into the position also shared by Vanderbilt University, Claremont McKenna College and Tufts University.

7. HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 2
Graduation Rate: 86%

Experiencing perhaps the largest drop of any Ivy League in the top 10, Harvard's graduation rate places it five spots lower than its No. 2 U.S News ranking—a fate possibly worse than the end of its tie for No. 1 with Princeton. Overall, it ties for No. 33 alongside Northwestern University, Amherst College and Swarthmore College.

7. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 5
Graduation Rate: 86%

Tied at No. 33 with both Harvard and its Chicagoland neighbor, Northwestern (No. 12 on the National University Rankings), the University of Chicago actually falls two spots when judged by its graduation rate alone. 

9. MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 7
Graduation Rate: 84%

Of the top 10 schools in U.S. News' National University Rankings, MIT is the Ivy League with the lowest graduation rate, landing at No. 51. (Brown University's 83% gives it the lowest position of any Ivy League, placing it at No. 60.) Also sharing the 51st spot with MIT are Wellesley College, Emory University and Rice University.

10. STANFORD UNIVERSITY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 5
Graduation Rate: 80%

Like Harvard, a school it's often mentioned in the same breath as, this prestigious California institution falls five spots based on grad rates. Occidental, Gettysburg, Whitman, Pitzer and Rhodes Colleges all tie for No. 72 overall.

11. CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Overall U.S. News National University Ranking: 10
Graduation Rate: 79%

Tied for No. 10 with Dartmouth on the National University Rankings, the Caltech doesn't quite compare on graduation rates. Ranking at No. 11 for graduation rates among schools in the top 10, it still finds itself in good company tied at 78th overall with New York University, Boston University, Emerson College and Loyola University Maryland.

Would you like to see more education news like this in your inbox on a daily basis? Subscribe to our Education Dive email newsletter! You may also want to read Education Dive's look at how higher education professionals are using LinkedIn.