16 Biological Sciences colleges in North Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $53,288.
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: 15 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Duke University leads the rankings, producing Biological Sciences graduates earning $97,800 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill follows at $72,200 with a 95th percentile mobility rating, proving that schools serving diverse populations can deliver exceptional outcomes.
Winston-Salem State University exemplifies commitment to access, serving 62% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $45,344. Duke University delivers the double win: 84th percentile mobility with just a 3.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $97,800 | Mobility: 84th percentile
62% Pell students with $45,344 earnings
3.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
13.6% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Excellent | $27,998 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Good | $19,809 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Excellent | $19,710 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $54,967 | $19,500 | Excellent | $22,737 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $51,836 | $20,231 | Good | $21,919 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $49,458 | $21,868 | Good | $18,241 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $48,160 | $22,858 | Good | $14,638 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $45,344 | $25,000 | Manageable | $12,030 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $44,440 | $27,000 | Good | $20,004 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $44,030 | $20,500 | Good | $20,305 | Challenging | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $43,407 | $25,000 | Manageable | $10,984 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $42,968 | $28,250 | Manageable | $19,245 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $40,144 | $22,987 | Good | $8,791 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | Bennett CollegePrivate | $36,654 | — | — | — | — | 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 →
