5 Art & Design colleges in Missouri with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,417.
Most rankings ignore accessibility. We flipped the model: first, filter for schools that actually enroll and graduate low-income students (60th percentile+ mobility). Then rank by earnings. These 5 Art & Design programs made the cut.
Washington University In St Louis leads the rankings, producing Art & Design graduates earning $86,182 while maintaining an 85th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $62,417—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of Missouri-Kansas City serves 25% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $59,637. However, debt burdens vary widely: Washington University stands out with a manageable 13% payment burden, while others reach concerning levels above 20%.
Earnings: $86,182 | Mobility: 85th percentile
25% Pell students with $59,637 earnings
12.9% payment burden | Manageable
33.7% family burden | High burden
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $86,182 | $17,500 | Manageable | $24,585 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $63,403 | $20,500 | High | $32,529 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $59,637 | $18,750 | High | $18,462 | High | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $53,037 | $20,000 | Manageable | $15,027 | High | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $49,827 | $21,992 | High | $15,092 | 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 →
