Discover 147 Area Studies colleges that excel at moving low-income students to success. Schools must be in the 60th percentile+ for mobility, ranked by graduate earnings. Average earnings: $69,943.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #26 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | $82,939 | $23,510 | High | $41,309 | High | 83th percentile mobility |
| #27 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #28 | University Of PortlandPrivate | $82,804 | $21,370 | High | $57,555 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #29 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #30 | New York UniversityPrivate | $82,509 | $20,500 | Excellent | $64,795 | High | 96th percentile mobility |
| #31 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Good | $34,511 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #32 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #33 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Good | $22,665 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #34 | Binghamton UniversityPublic | $80,596 | $18,500 | High | $27,270 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #35 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Excellent | $30,480 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #36 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $79,164 | $26,000 | High | $39,841 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #37 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #38 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #39 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #40 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Good | $58,361 | High | 80th percentile mobility |
| #41 | American UniversityPrivate | $77,370 | $22,750 | Excellent | $39,169 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility |
| #42 | University Of RichmondPrivate | $76,178 | $21,000 | Challenging | $30,512 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #43 | Occidental CollegePrivate | $75,951 | $23,000 | Challenging | $51,450 | High | 82th percentile mobility |
| #44 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $75,790 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility |
| #45 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Good | $26,632 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #46 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #47 | Stony Brook UniversityPublic | $74,502 | $18,228 | Challenging | $21,400 | High | 98th percentile mobility |
| #48 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Good | $25,294 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #49 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Good | $25,294 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #50 | $73,997 | $21,500 | Good | $35,324 | High | 97th 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 →
