8 Communication colleges in Indiana with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,428.
These 7 Communication programs in Indiana 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.
Purdue University-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Communication graduates earning $72,424 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. Indiana University-Bloomington follows at $63,742 with equally strong mobility metrics. Average graduate earnings reach $57,842—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
Indiana State University serves 39% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $48,387. The mobility story gets better with debt: Indiana University-Bloomington graduates face just an 8.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability category. Access AND manageable debt payments.
Earnings: $72,424 | Mobility: 95th percentile
39.1% Pell students with $48,387 earnings
8.4% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
24.5% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $72,424 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,448 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Depauw UniversityPrivate | $70,527 | $27,000 | Excellent | $35,134 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $63,742 | $19,509 | Excellent | $32,850 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Saint Mary's CollegePrivate | $59,354 | $27,000 | Good | $48,565 | High | 80th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $55,198 | $20,000 | Good | $17,205 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Hanover CollegePrivate | $53,957 | $25,250 | Good | $41,531 | High | 74th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Ball State UniversityPublic | $51,833 | $23,250 | Good | $20,800 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Indiana State UniversityPublic | $48,387 | $24,000 | Manageable | $17,049 | Challenging | 79th 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 →
