10 Communication colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $70,605.
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 8 Communication programs made the cut.
Boston College leads the rankings, producing Communication graduates earning $103,937 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $56,662 to $103,937, proving that schools serving low-income students can deliver elite-level outcomes.
University Of Massachusetts-Boston serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $65,865. Even better: graduates face just an 11% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability category. These schools deliver both access AND manageable debt.
Earnings: $103,937 | Mobility: 86th percentile
42.7% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
6.1% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
21.9% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | $19,000 | Excellent | $45,000 | Manageable | 82th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Excellent | $34,984 | Manageable | 60th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | $23,250 | Excellent | $39,000 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Good | $26,243 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Excellent | $17,163 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Simmons UniversityPrivate | $63,494 | $24,840 | Excellent | $23,772 | Manageable | 70th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $57,466 | $24,286 | Good | $18,070 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $57,346 | $22,457 | Good | $18,544 | Manageable | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Salem State UniversityPublic | $56,662 | $25,000 | Manageable | $21,128 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $53,874 | $24,239 | Manageable | $16,500 | High | 61th 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 →
