7 Education colleges in Alabama with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $53,724.
We started with Education programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 7 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Auburn University leads the rankings, producing Education graduates earning $65,337 while maintaining an 89th percentile mobility score. The University of Alabama follows at $59,221 with a 92nd percentile mobility rating—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
Alabama A & M University serves 64% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $40,628. Among the top performers, University of Alabama in Huntsville delivers a double win: 73rd percentile mobility with just a 12% payment burden, landing in the 'Manageable' affordability category.
Earnings: $65,337 | Mobility: 89th percentile
64% Pell students with $40,628 earnings
12% payment burden | Manageable
26% family burden | High burden
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Manageable | $43,605 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $61,767 | $20,705 | Manageable | $20,297 | High | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Manageable | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $54,501 | $22,300 | Challenging | $20,498 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $49,379 | $24,929 | Manageable | $26,683 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $45,235 | $22,189 | Manageable | $13,672 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Alabama A & M UniversityPublic | $40,628 | $31,000 | High | $19,266 | High | 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 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
