10 Biological Sciences colleges in Louisiana with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $48,178.
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 11 Biological Sciences programs made the cut.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College leads the rankings, producing Biological Sciences graduates earning $61,251 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. At the other end, programs still deliver $41,109 in median earnings—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of New Orleans serves 40% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $47,872. The debt story varies: graduates face payment burdens ranging from 8.7% at McNeese State University ('Good' affordability) to 19% at Louisiana Tech University ('Challenging'). The best mobility schools deliver both access AND manageable debt.
Earnings: $61,251 | Mobility: 97th percentile
64.6% Pell students with $43,371 earnings
8.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
14.5% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Manageable | $25,645 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $52,279 | $22,135 | Challenging | $18,071 | High | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $47,872 | $18,750 | Manageable | $15,048 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $47,089 | $22,902 | Good | $13,655 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $47,021 | $25,000 | Challenging | $11,900 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $46,769 | $21,500 | Good | $10,174 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $46,482 | $22,113 | Manageable | $10,611 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Mcneese State UniversityPublic | $46,453 | $23,000 | Good | $13,410 | Manageable | 71th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $45,454 | $22,675 | High | $11,428 | High | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $41,109 | $36,500 | Challenging | $21,007 | High | 77th 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 →
