5 Architecture colleges in Pennsylvania with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $75,816.
We started with Architecture programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 5 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $114,862 in median earnings, Carnegie Mellon University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $52,410 to $114,862, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can deliver competitive career outcomes.
Temple University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $63,727 and ranking 97th percentile for mobility. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Drexel University exemplifies this with 89th percentile mobility and just a 7% payment burden, earning 'Excellent' affordability status.
Earnings: $114,862 | Mobility: 84th percentile
30% Pell students with $63,727 earnings
7.3% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
20.1% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPrivate | $114,862 | $21,750 | Good | $37,130 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Excellent | $40,932 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Temple UniversityPublic | $63,727 | $24,395 | Good | $36,495 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $63,435 | $25,000 | Excellent | $38,368 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Chatham UniversityPrivate | $52,410 | $23,250 | High | $31,699 | High | 78th 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 →
