33 Architecture colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,648.
These 33 Architecture programs in the South 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.
Georgia Institute Of Technology-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Architecture graduates earning $102,772 while maintaining a 92nd percentile mobility score. The top performers average $90,832 in earnings—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University of Maryland-College Park exemplifies the double win: 96th percentile for mobility with just a 6.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Meanwhile, The University of Texas at Austin serves 25% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $75,121.
Earnings: $102,772 | Mobility: 92nd percentile
25.1% Pell students with $75,121 earnings
6.4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
12.3% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $102,772 | $21,672 | Good | $32,216 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Good | $35,325 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Good | $35,463 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Good | $23,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Excellent | $20,855 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Manageable | $43,605 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $63,199 | $17,527 | Excellent | $12,313 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Howard UniversityPrivate | $63,066 | $24,500 | Manageable | $58,682 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #14 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | $62,454 | $21,500 | Good | $23,443 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #15 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | Excellent | $18,072 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Excellent | $25,645 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Excellent | $30,610 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $59,025 | $22,500 | Good | $30,006 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Manageable | $16,036 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | University Of ArkansasPublic | $58,191 | $21,500 | Good | $28,086 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $57,552 | $23,833 | Excellent | $19,000 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $57,413 | $20,500 | Good | $38,513 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Excellent | $19,809 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $57,131 | $20,500 | Good | $13,859 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $56,906 | $21,000 | Good | $22,500 | Challenging | 99th 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 →
