35 Engineering colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $77,409.
We started with Engineering programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 32 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $124,080 in median earnings, Stanford University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 91st percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $64,909 to $124,080, demonstrating that California schools serving low-income students can deliver exceptional outcomes.
University of California-Irvine serves 37% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $80,735. Even better: graduates face excellent affordability with minimal payment burdens. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $124,080 | Mobility: 91st percentile
37% Pell students with $80,735 earnings
2.5% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.0% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Harvey Mudd CollegePrivate | $138,687 | $25,000 | Excellent | $33,386 | Good | 62th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $128,566 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Stanford UniversityPrivate | $124,080 | $12,000 | Excellent | $38,333 | Good | 90th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $109,183 | $19,162 | Excellent | $56,271 | Good | 74th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Good | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | $86,522 | $22,940 | Excellent | $56,559 | Manageable | 76th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Excellent | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $78,988 | — | — | — | — | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Excellent | $50,438 | Manageable | 70th percentile mobility |
| #15 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | Manageable | 61th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Excellent | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Excellent | $15,738 | Excellent | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | Excellent | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Excellent | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Excellent | $18,275 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | $65,986 | $16,705 | Excellent | $27,986 | Excellent | 86th percentile mobility |
| #23 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Good | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Excellent | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Excellent | 100th 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 →
