12 Engineering colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $90,889.
These 9 Engineering programs aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads the rankings, producing Engineering graduates earning $143,372 while maintaining a 73rd percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $64,874—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University of Massachusetts-Boston serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $65,865. Even better: graduates face just a 10% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $143,372 | Mobility: 73rd percentile
43% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
2.3% payment burden | Excellent
9.6% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $143,372 | $14,768 | Excellent | $42,501 | Good | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $129,455 | $19,500 | Excellent | $0 | Excellent | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $103,470 | $27,000 | Excellent | $53,567 | Manageable | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Harvard UniversityPrivate | $101,817 | — | — | — | — | 90th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Excellent | $34,984 | Good | 60th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | $23,250 | Excellent | $39,000 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Tufts UniversityPrivate | $83,214 | $16,250 | Excellent | $38,325 | Good | 83th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $82,392 | $25,000 | Excellent | $38,678 | Good | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Excellent | $26,243 | Good | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $68,804 | $25,000 | Excellent | $22,757 | Good | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Excellent | $17,163 | Excellent | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $64,874 | $23,704 | Excellent | $18,400 | 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 May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
