13 Accounting colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,089.
These 13 Accounting programs aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads the rankings, producing Accounting graduates earning $81,054 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $62,089—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
Governors State University serves 52% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $58,169. Even better: graduates face just a 4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $81,054 | Mobility: 98th percentile
52% Pell students with $58,169 earnings
4.2% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
12.7% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Excellent | $54,045 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Illinois Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | $70,871 | $27,000 | Excellent | $47,679 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Depaul UniversityPrivate | $68,751 | $23,168 | Excellent | $41,563 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Excellent | $24,323 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Excellent | $28,767 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $58,169 | $18,618 | Excellent | $13,991 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $57,808 | $22,162 | Excellent | $19,508 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $56,346 | $20,500 | Excellent | $21,500 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Good | $20,764 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Good | $19,500 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $52,234 | $14,600 | Excellent | $13,578 | Manageable | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $51,989 | $21,500 | Excellent | $17,781 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility |
Our social mobility rankings answer: "Which schools deliver the best outcomes for students from low-income backgrounds?"
This is not simply "which schools admit the most low-income students" — it's which schools both serve low-income students and deliver strong earnings outcomes.
Data based on 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
