21 Architecture colleges in the Northeast with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $71,446.
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: 17 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Carnegie Mellon University leads the rankings, producing Architecture graduates earning $114,862 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $49,365—demonstrating that Northeast schools serving low-income students deliver real earning power across the spectrum.
New Jersey Institute of Technology serves 39% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $84,276. The region's mobility leaders also deliver manageable debt: CUNY New York City College of Technology graduates face just a 3.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $114,862 | Mobility: 84th percentile
39% Pell students with $84,276 earnings
3.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.9% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPrivate | $114,862 | $21,750 | Excellent | $37,130 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Cornell UniversityPrivate | $104,043 | $14,000 | Excellent | $38,000 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $102,051 | $23,750 | Excellent | $52,241 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Excellent | $40,932 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $84,276 | $21,000 | Excellent | $22,866 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $79,164 | $26,000 | Excellent | $39,841 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Thomas Jefferson UniversityPrivate | $77,449 | $14,744 | Excellent | $32,255 | Manageable | 60th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Excellent | $25,294 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Excellent | $26,243 | Good | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | University At BuffaloPublic | $70,814 | $19,000 | Excellent | $20,734 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $69,743 | $22,250 | Excellent | $28,000 | Manageable | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $68,140 | — | — | — | — | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Temple UniversityPublic | $63,727 | $24,395 | Excellent | $36,495 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $63,435 | $25,000 | Excellent | $38,368 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $57,346 | $22,457 | Good | $18,544 | Manageable | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $55,763 | $11,000 | Excellent | $11,551 | Good | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | Keene State CollegePublic | $54,368 | $25,749 | Good | $37,874 | Challenging | 71th percentile mobility |
| #18 | Chatham UniversityPrivate | $52,410 | — | — | — | — | 77th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $51,629 | $15,180 | Excellent | $16,789 | Manageable | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $51,019 | — | — | — | — | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $49,365 | $10,533 | Excellent | $9,563 | Excellent | 94th 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 May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
