7 Engineering colleges in Wisconsin with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $61,909.
These 7 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.
Marquette University leads the rankings, producing Engineering graduates earning $78,257 while maintaining an 80th percentile mobility score. The University of Wisconsin-Madison follows at $73,792 with an exceptional 96th percentile mobility ranking—demonstrating that accessible programs can compete on outcomes.
The University of Wisconsin-Platteville serves 21% Pell Grant recipients and 29% first-generation students while still producing graduates earning $61,760. Even better: graduates face just a 5.6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $78,257 | Mobility: 80th percentile
30% Pell students with $54,990 earnings
4.7% payment burden | Excellent
8.4% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Marquette UniversityPrivate | $78,257 | $23,940 | Excellent | $45,500 | Challenging | 80th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $61,760 | $21,977 | Excellent | $15,000 | Good | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $58,084 | $23,000 | Excellent | $11,000 | Good | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $54,990 | $23,000 | Excellent | $16,149 | Good | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $54,458 | $20,500 | Good | $14,500 | Manageable | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $52,021 | $21,503 | Excellent | $14,012 | Good | 85th 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 →
