11 Art & Design colleges in Tennessee with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $53,129.
Top Art & Design graduates on this list earn over $91,565—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 11 programs deliver both access and results.
At $91,565 in median earnings, Vanderbilt University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville follows with a remarkable 96th percentile mobility ranking, producing graduates earning $60,249—proving accessibility doesn't limit outcomes.
Austin Peay State University serves 46% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $44,301. The affordability picture varies widely: Vanderbilt graduates face just a 4% payment burden (Excellent category), while others reach over 25%, making debt management a key factor for prospective students.
Earnings: $91,565 | Mobility: 86th percentile
46% Pell students with $44,301 earnings
4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
15% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Rhodes CollegePrivate | $66,651 | — | — | — | — | 78th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Excellent | $30,610 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $51,151 | $19,500 | Excellent | $17,353 | Manageable | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $48,541 | $20,000 | Good | $14,229 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $48,501 | $15,650 | Good | $11,640 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | University Of MemphisPublic | $48,458 | $23,300 | Manageable | $15,393 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $44,859 | $19,442 | Challenging | $16,938 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $44,301 | $20,547 | Manageable | $14,710 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $44,213 | $21,024 | Challenging | $13,218 | High | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Visible Music CollegePrivate | $35,933 | $9,500 | Good | $15,862 | High | 62th 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 →
