Discover 306 Education 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: $58,194.
Top Education graduates on this list earn over $103,937—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 296 programs deliver both access and results.
Boston College leads the rankings, producing Education graduates earning $103,937 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. Duke University follows at $97,800, with Brown University rounding out the top three at $93,487—all proving that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Brown University exemplifies this—84th percentile for mobility with just a 4% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | $19,000 | Excellent | $45,000 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Excellent | $27,998 | Good | 84th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Brown UniversityPrivate | $93,487 | — | — | — | — | 83th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Providence CollegePrivate | $87,054 | $27,000 | Good | $46,300 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Good | $40,932 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Good | $30,250 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | $23,250 | Good | $39,000 | High | 91th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Loyola University MarylandPrivate | $82,652 | $27,000 | Good | $50,344 | High | 72th percentile mobility |
| #12 | New York UniversityPrivate | $82,509 | $20,500 | Excellent | $64,795 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | Swarthmore CollegePrivate | $80,257 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #16 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $79,164 | $26,000 | Good | $39,841 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility |
| #17 | University Of RochesterPrivate | $79,042 | — | — | — | — | 81th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Excellent | $50,438 | Challenging | 70th percentile mobility |
| #20 | Marquette UniversityPrivate | $78,257 | $23,940 | Good | $45,500 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #21 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility |
| #22 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $75,790 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Good | 98th percentile mobility |
| #23 | Adelphi UniversityPrivate | $75,482 | $25,000 | Excellent | $48,005 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $73,997 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,324 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Good | $28,364 | High | 96th 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 →
