8 Criminal Justice colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,377.
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 6 Criminal Justice programs made the cut.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy leads the rankings, producing Criminal Justice graduates earning $82,392 while maintaining an 87th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $64,101—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
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 a 10% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $82,392 | Mobility: 87th percentile
43% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
16% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Excellent | $34,984 | Manageable | 60th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $82,392 | $25,000 | Excellent | $38,678 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Excellent | $17,163 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $64,874 | $23,704 | Excellent | $18,400 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $57,466 | $24,286 | Good | $18,070 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $57,346 | $22,457 | Excellent | $18,544 | Manageable | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Salem State UniversityPublic | $56,662 | $25,000 | Good | $21,128 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $53,874 | $24,239 | Good | $16,500 | Manageable | 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 →
