8 Criminal Justice colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $55,514.
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 Criminal Justice programs made the cut.
Michigan State University leads the rankings, producing Criminal Justice graduates earning $67,253 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. The school combines high outcomes with genuine accessibility, serving 20% Pell Grant recipients and 21% first-generation students.
University of Michigan-Dearborn serves 44% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $59,649. Even better: graduates face just an 11.6% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' category. Access AND affordability.
Earnings: $67,253 | Mobility: 98th percentile
44% Pell students with $59,649 earnings
8.9% payment burden | Good
17.6% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $58,612 | $22,750 | Excellent | $17,858 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Good | $26,392 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $54,735 | $21,000 | Excellent | $14,849 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $53,562 | $26,188 | Good | $22,488 | Challenging | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Good | $16,378 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $53,230 | $25,000 | Good | $12,953 | Challenging | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $47,107 | $21,474 | Excellent | $17,287 | Manageable | 71th 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 →
