74 Art & Design colleges in the West with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $64,940.
These 74 Art & Design programs aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Santa Clara University leads the rankings, producing Art & Design graduates earning $109,183 while maintaining a 75th percentile mobility score. University of Southern California follows at $92,498 with an exceptional 96th percentile mobility rating. These outcomes prove that schools serving low-income students can compete on results, not just access.
UC Berkeley exemplifies the double win: 27% Pell Grant recipients and 35% first-generation students, yet graduates still earn $92,446. However, debt burdens vary dramatically across these mobility leaders. San Jose State University delivers the best value—graduates face just a 7.3% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category, while others exceed 25% burden.
Earnings: $109,183 | Mobility: 75th percentile
37% Pell students with $80,735 earnings
7.3% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
18.6% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $109,183 | — | — | — | — | 74th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Manageable | $35,000 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | $89,812 | $23,000 | Good | $44,413 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Good | $24,257 | High | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | $82,939 | $23,510 | Good | $41,309 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Good | $22,665 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $78,988 | — | — | — | — | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Manageable | $50,438 | High | 70th percentile mobility |
| #14 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #15 | Occidental CollegePrivate | $75,951 | — | — | — | — | 72th percentile mobility |
| #16 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $75,790 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Good | 98th percentile mobility |
| #17 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Good | $26,465 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Good | $15,738 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | $20,500 | Excellent | $44,954 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $69,738 | $19,500 | Manageable | $46,340 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $68,905 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,968 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Good | $19,732 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Excellent | $18,275 | Manageable | 98th 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 →
