19 Computer Science colleges in Pennsylvania with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $71,079.
These 19 Computer Science programs in Pennsylvania 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.
Carnegie Mellon University leads the rankings, producing Computer Science graduates earning $114,862 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. The top three schools all exceed $105,000 in median earnings—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
Temple University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $63,727. Across the top schools, debt burdens remain manageable: University of Pennsylvania graduates face just a 1.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Access AND affordability.
Earnings: $114,862 | Mobility: 84th percentile
30.1% Pell students with $63,727 earnings
1.4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
4.7% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPrivate | $114,862 | $21,750 | Excellent | $37,130 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | University Of PennsylvaniaPrivate | $111,371 | $15,715 | Excellent | $33,124 | Excellent | 88th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Lehigh UniversityPrivate | $105,584 | $21,960 | Excellent | $42,245 | Manageable | 81th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Villanova UniversityPrivate | $100,423 | $25,874 | Excellent | $40,000 | Manageable | 74th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Bucknell UniversityPrivate | $93,807 | $27,000 | Excellent | $62,750 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Excellent | $40,932 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $66,125 | $24,250 | Excellent | $35,031 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Temple UniversityPublic | $63,727 | $24,395 | Excellent | $36,495 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $63,435 | $25,000 | Excellent | $38,368 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $61,258 | $23,500 | Excellent | $25,362 | Good | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Saint Vincent CollegePrivate | $59,982 | $27,000 | Manageable | $43,823 | High | 75th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $56,351 | $25,000 | Excellent | $28,373 | Manageable | 75th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $56,148 | $24,218 | Excellent | $25,252 | Manageable | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $55,246 | $23,507 | Excellent | $29,193 | Manageable | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $53,775 | $26,000 | Excellent | $26,389 | Manageable | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $53,032 | $25,000 | Good | $23,528 | Manageable | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $52,416 | $26,000 | Manageable | $26,233 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $51,019 | $26,798 | Excellent | $26,073 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $47,295 | $23,725 | Excellent | $17,794 | Good | 87th 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 →
