153 Art & Design colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $55,757.
Top Art & Design graduates on this list earn over $102,772—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 143 programs deliver both access and results.
Georgia Institute Of Technology-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Art & Design graduates earning $102,772 while maintaining a 92nd percentile mobility score. Vanderbilt University follows at $91,565, with George Washington University rounding out the top three at $90,873—demonstrating that mobility-focused programs compete on outcomes.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Vanderbilt University exemplifies this—86th percentile for mobility with just a 4.3% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings. Meanwhile, George Mason University serves 29.5% Pell Grant recipients while producing graduates earning $76,343.
Earnings: $102,772 | Mobility: 92nd percentile
29.5% Pell students with $76,343 earnings
4.3% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
15.2% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $102,772 | $21,672 | Excellent | $32,216 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility |
| #3 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | $20,449 | Good | $30,881 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Rice UniversityPrivate | $89,718 | $11,000 | Good | $35,338 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Johns Hopkins UniversityPrivate | $87,555 | $10,250 | Challenging | $29,048 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Good | $35,200 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Good | $35,325 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Manageable | $30,480 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $78,354 | $19,500 | Challenging | $40,025 | High | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Wake Forest UniversityPrivate | $78,158 | $21,500 | Manageable | $30,000 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #12 | American UniversityPrivate | $77,370 | $22,750 | High | $39,169 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #13 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | High | 99th percentile mobility |
| #14 | University Of MiamiPrivate | $75,328 | $17,500 | High | $37,267 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Good | $26,632 | High | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Good | $30,326 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility |
| #17 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Challenging | $43,000 | High | 94th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Good | $25,072 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Good | $18,837 | High | 99th percentile mobility |
| #21 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Manageable | $35,463 | High | 94th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Challenging | $26,987 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 96th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Challenging | $23,000 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | High | $20,855 | 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 →
