Retaining it’s place, MBU is again Virginia’s top school for social mobility.
Mary Baldwin University is again the top-ranked Virginia university for social mobility in its category, according to the U.S. News & World Report 2027 Best Colleges rankings, released Sept. 22.
MBU’s 2027 rankings:
- No. 14, Top Performers on Social Mobility. This is the highest ranking of any Virginia school in the category.
- No. 29 (tie), Top Private Schools
- No. 59 (tie), Regional Universities South, out of 158 ranked institutions
Each of these reflect MBU’s placement in the US News and World Report 2027 college rankings, in Regional Universities South category.
What is “social mobility,” and what does it measure?
U.S. News bases its social mobility ranking on two factors. The first is the graduation rate of students who receive federal Pell Grants, which go to students with the greatest financial need. The second is how that rate compares to the graduation rate of all other students at the same school. Schools that enroll a larger share of Pell recipients score higher.
How MBU supports that success
Through Mary Baldwin Signature, every residential undergraduate is connected with advising coaches, career coaches, and tutors from their first semester, all based at The Commons at Grafton Library. More than 95 percent of MBU students receive scholarship or grant assistance.