10 Communication colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $65,451.
We started with Communication programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 8 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University leads the rankings, producing Communication graduates earning $81,698 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $59,104—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. James Madison University exemplifies this—93rd percentile for mobility with just an 8% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings while the school serves 17% Pell recipients.
Earnings: $81,698 | Mobility: 95th percentile
71% Pell students with $45,543 earnings
8.0% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
25.2% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $94,810 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Good | $44,122 | High | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Randolph-Macon CollegePrivate | $58,448 | $27,000 | Good | $46,254 | High | 77th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,585 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Good | $22,158 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $45,543 | $26,500 | Challenging | $22,181 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Good | $16,398 | Challenging | 99th 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 →
