9 Biological Sciences colleges in Alabama with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $52,045.
We started with Biological Sciences programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 8 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Auburn University leads the rankings, producing Biological Sciences graduates earning $65,337 while maintaining an 89th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $40,628—demonstrating that Alabama schools serving low-income students deliver meaningful economic outcomes.
Alabama A & M University serves 64% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $40,628. The debt burden story varies: University of Alabama in Huntsville graduates face a manageable 14% payment burden, while others reach over 25%—a meaningful difference for graduates managing loan payments.
Earnings: $65,337 | Mobility: 89th percentile
64% Pell students with $40,628 earnings
14% payment burden | Manageable
29% family burden | High burden
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Excellent | $43,605 | High | 94th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $61,767 | $20,705 | Manageable | $20,297 | High | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Good | $48,666 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $54,501 | $22,300 | Good | $20,498 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Athens State UniversityPublic | $50,273 | $18,051 | Excellent | $12,896 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $49,379 | $24,929 | Good | $26,683 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $45,415 | $22,077 | Good | $18,000 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $45,235 | $22,189 | Good | $13,672 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Alabama A & M UniversityPublic | $40,628 | $31,000 | Challenging | $19,266 | High | 89th 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 →
