8 Engineering colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,549.
Most rankings ignore accessibility. We flipped the model: first, filter for schools that actually enroll and graduate low-income students (60th percentile+ mobility). Then rank by earnings. These 8 Engineering programs made the cut.
Northwestern University leads the rankings, producing Engineering graduates earning $89,363 while maintaining a 90th percentile mobility score. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign follows at $81,054 with an even stronger 98th percentile mobility rating—proving accessibility and outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
University of Illinois Chicago serves 50% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $68,740. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Northwestern graduates face just a 2.9% payment burden ('Excellent' affordability), meaning they keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $89,363 | Mobility: 90th percentile
49.6% Pell students with $68,740 earnings
2.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
9.0% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $89,363 | $15,000 | Excellent | $26,966 | Excellent | 90th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Good | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Excellent | $54,045 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Excellent | $24,323 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $57,808 | $22,162 | Excellent | $19,508 | Good | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $56,346 | $20,500 | Excellent | $21,500 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Good | $20,764 | Manageable | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Excellent | $19,500 | Good | 88th 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 →
