11 Education colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,349.
Top Education graduates on this list earn over $83,648—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 11 programs deliver both access and results.
The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor leads the rankings, producing Education graduates earning $83,648 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. Michigan State University follows at $67,253 with an even higher 98th percentile mobility rating—proving that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
The University of Michigan-Dearborn serves 44% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $59,649. With a 15% payment burden in the 'manageable' category, graduates can handle loan payments while building careers. Michigan delivers both access and affordability.
Earnings: $83,648 | Mobility: 97th percentile
43.9% Pell students with $59,649 earnings
11.5% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
26.4% family burden | High burden - payment over 25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Good | $30,250 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Manageable | $37,401 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $59,649 | $22,500 | Manageable | $16,132 | High | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $58,612 | $22,750 | Manageable | $17,858 | High | 88th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Manageable | $26,392 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $55,874 | $27,000 | Manageable | $23,103 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $54,735 | $21,000 | Manageable | $14,849 | High | 85th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $53,562 | $26,188 | Manageable | $22,488 | High | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Manageable | $16,378 | High | 95th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $51,793 | $25,000 | Challenging | $16,878 | High | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $47,107 | $21,474 | Challenging | $17,287 | High | 73th 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 →
