13 Biological Sciences colleges in Wisconsin with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,103.
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: 13 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $78,257 in median earnings, Marquette University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining an 80th percentile mobility score. University of Wisconsin-Madison follows at $73,792 with an exceptional 96th percentile mobility ranking—demonstrating that accessible programs can deliver competitive outcomes.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Marquette University exemplifies this—80th percentile for mobility with just an 8.8% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings while the school serves 19% Pell Grant recipients.
Earnings: $78,257 | Mobility: 80th percentile
33% Pell students with $54,902 earnings
8.8% payment burden | Excellent
15.1% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Marquette UniversityPrivate | $78,257 | $23,940 | Good | $45,500 | High | 80th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Good | $28,364 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $61,760 | $21,977 | Good | $15,000 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $60,378 | $22,500 | Manageable | $16,958 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $58,561 | $20,909 | Good | $12,452 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Lawrence UniversityPrivate | $55,789 | $26,000 | High | $59,814 | High | 75th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $55,548 | $21,500 | Good | $13,500 | Manageable | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $55,356 | $23,188 | Manageable | $18,635 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $54,990 | $23,000 | Manageable | $16,149 | High | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Ripon CollegePrivate | $54,902 | $27,000 | Manageable | $28,995 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $54,458 | $20,500 | Manageable | $14,500 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $52,528 | $18,500 | Manageable | $13,480 | High | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $52,021 | $21,503 | Manageable | $14,012 | High | 85th 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 →
