Discover 206 Criminal Justice colleges that excel at moving low-income students to success. Schools must be in the 60th percentile+ for mobility, ranked by graduate earnings. Average earnings: $55,825.
These 208 Criminal Justice programs 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.
George Washington University leads the rankings, producing Criminal Justice graduates earning $90,873 while maintaining a 79th percentile mobility score. At the top end, graduates earn over $90,000—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
San Jose State University serves 35% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $78,988. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Florida exemplifies this with 97th percentile mobility and just a 3.2% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $90,873 | Mobility: 79th percentile
35.4% Pell students with $78,988 earnings
3.2% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.8% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% 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 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | $20,449 | Excellent | $30,881 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $82,392 | $25,000 | Excellent | $38,678 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $79,164 | $26,000 | Excellent | $39,841 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $78,988 | — | — | — | — | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $76,571 | $26,778 | Manageable | $35,625 | High | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Adelphi UniversityPrivate | $75,482 | $25,000 | Good | $48,005 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Excellent | $25,294 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $73,323 | $23,250 | Good | $30,611 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $72,085 | $21,096 | Excellent | $33,899 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Good | $54,045 | High | 76th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Excellent | $15,738 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | Pace UniversityPrivate | $70,378 | $23,250 | Excellent | $46,275 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #16 | Seton Hall UniversityPrivate | $70,196 | $22,750 | Good | $40,003 | High | 74th percentile mobility |
| #17 | $69,781 | $14,718 | Excellent | $18,349 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $69,571 | $25,000 | Good | $54,289 | High | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Excellent | $24,323 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Good | $20,855 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility |
| #21 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | $21,500 | Good | $54,925 | High | 76th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | University At AlbanyPublic | $67,979 | $19,500 | Excellent | $22,398 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $66,479 | $26,814 | Excellent | $36,545 | Challenging | 81th 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 →
