Mary Baldwin climbs in U.S. News college rankings

Mary Baldwin College has received the highest rankings in five years in U.S. News & World Report’s annual America’s Best Colleges issue.

Mary Baldwin came in at number 21 in among master’s-level universities in the South. The pool included 117 ranked schools in the South in 2009.

The Staunton women’s college will be highlighted in the Aug. 24 issue of U.S. News & World Report for being among 15 master’s-level universities in the South recognized as “Great Schools, Great Prices.“

Mary Baldwin is ranked seventh.

In 2008, 73 percent of the college’s students received need-based aid at an average of $18,320 per student.

Pamela Fox, the college’s president, said the college’s mission is one that provides an “education that transforms individuals, who then have the knowledge, skills, perspective, and desire to make a difference in the world.“