70 Computer Science colleges in the West with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,055.
We started with Computer Science programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 70 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Stanford University leads the rankings, producing Computer Science graduates earning $124,080 while maintaining a 91st percentile mobility score. The University of Southern California follows at $92,498 with an exceptional 96th percentile mobility ranking, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Stanford exemplifies this—91st percentile for mobility with just a 0.9% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $124,080 | Mobility: 91st percentile
37% Pell students with $80,735 earnings
0.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
4.0% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Stanford UniversityPrivate | $124,080 | $12,000 | Excellent | $38,333 | Excellent | 91th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Colorado School Of MinesPublic | $97,335 | $23,000 | Excellent | $53,505 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Excellent | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | $89,812 | $23,000 | Excellent | $44,413 | Good | 76th percentile mobility |
| #7 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | $86,522 | $22,940 | Excellent | $56,559 | Manageable | 76th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Excellent | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Excellent | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $78,988 | $15,000 | Excellent | $20,820 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Excellent | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Excellent | $50,438 | Manageable | 72th percentile mobility |
| #13 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | Challenging | 71th percentile mobility |
| #14 | Occidental CollegePrivate | $75,951 | $23,000 | Excellent | $51,450 | High | 75th percentile mobility |
| #15 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $75,790 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Excellent | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Excellent | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Excellent | $15,738 | Excellent | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | $20,500 | Excellent | $44,954 | Challenging | 72th percentile mobility |
| #20 | $69,738 | $19,500 | Excellent | $46,340 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $68,905 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,968 | Good | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Excellent | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Excellent | $18,275 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | University Of UtahPublic | $67,170 | $19,000 | Excellent | $18,886 | Good | 94th 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 →
