16 Art & Design colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $67,075.
Top Art & Design graduates on this list earn over $103,937—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 14 programs deliver both access and results.
Boston College leads the rankings, producing Art & Design graduates earning $103,937 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. Boston University follows at $83,238 with an even stronger 91st percentile mobility ranking—proving that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Wellesley College exemplifies this—74th percentile for mobility with just a 3.4% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $103,937 | Mobility: 86th percentile
42.7% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
3.4% payment burden | Excellent
18.9% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | — | — | — | — | 82th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Excellent | $34,984 | Manageable | 60th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Wellesley CollegePrivate | $84,803 | — | — | — | — | 72th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | $23,250 | Challenging | $39,000 | High | 91th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Tufts UniversityPrivate | $83,214 | $16,250 | Good | $38,325 | High | 83th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Manageable | $26,243 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $68,804 | $25,000 | Good | $22,757 | High | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Good | $17,163 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $64,874 | $23,704 | Good | $18,400 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $57,466 | $24,286 | Manageable | $18,070 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $57,346 | $22,457 | Manageable | $18,544 | High | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | Salem State UniversityPublic | $56,662 | $25,000 | Manageable | $21,128 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $53,874 | $24,239 | Manageable | $16,500 | High | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $52,349 | $25,000 | Manageable | $20,284 | High | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $43,582 | $25,755 | Manageable | $37,000 | High | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | Montserrat College Of ArtPrivate | $33,022 | $27,000 | High | $47,902 | High | 61th 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 →
