10 Education colleges in Tennessee with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $52,404.
Top Education graduates on this list earn over $91,565—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 10 programs deliver both access and results.
At $91,565 in median earnings, Vanderbilt University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville follows at $60,249, demonstrating that strong outcomes extend beyond the highest earners in Tennessee Education programs.
Tennessee State University serves 52% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $42,730. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Vanderbilt exemplifies this with 86th percentile mobility and just a 9% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $91,565 | Mobility: 86th percentile
52% Pell students with $42,730 earnings
9% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
29% family burden | 91st percentile mobility
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Good | $30,610 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $51,151 | $19,500 | Good | $17,353 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $48,541 | $20,000 | Good | $14,229 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $48,501 | $15,650 | Good | $11,640 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | University Of MemphisPublic | $48,458 | $23,300 | Manageable | $15,393 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $44,859 | $19,442 | Manageable | $16,938 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $44,301 | $20,547 | Good | $14,710 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $44,213 | $21,024 | Manageable | $13,218 | Challenging | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Welch CollegePrivate | $42,198 | — | — | — | — | 62th 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 →
