7 Art & Design colleges in Missouri with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,704.
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 | Excellent | $24,585 | Manageable | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $63,403 | $20,500 | Good | $32,529 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $59,637 | $18,750 | Manageable | $18,462 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Truman State UniversityPublic | $56,280 | — | — | — | — | 60th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $53,037 | $20,000 | Manageable | $15,027 | High | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $49,827 | $21,992 | Good | $15,092 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $49,560 | $21,000 | Manageable | $14,000 | 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 →
