13 English colleges in Georgia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $54,031.
We started with English programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 13 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $80,137 in median earnings, Emory University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining an 88th percentile mobility score. University of Georgia follows at $68,726 with an impressive 95th percentile mobility ranking, proving that accessible schools can deliver competitive outcomes.
Clayton State University serves 52% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $49,179. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Georgia exemplifies this with 95th percentile mobility and just a 14% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $80,137 | Mobility: 88th percentile
52% Pell students with $49,179 earnings
14% payment burden | Manageable
25% family burden | High burden
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Excellent | $30,480 | Manageable | 87th percentile mobility |
| #2 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Good | $20,855 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $58,140 | $22,250 | Manageable | $15,753 | Challenging | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $57,552 | $23,833 | Good | $19,000 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $53,236 | $23,250 | Manageable | $16,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $50,135 | $17,750 | Good | $12,100 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $49,587 | $23,970 | Manageable | $15,047 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $49,361 | $24,779 | Manageable | $19,136 | High | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Clayton State UniversityPublic | $49,179 | $25,706 | High | $12,973 | High | 77th percentile mobility |
| #10 | Augusta UniversityPublic | $48,472 | — | — | — | — | 85th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Georgia State UniversityPublic | $47,384 | $20,903 | Good | $14,837 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $45,954 | $25,148 | Manageable | $99,784 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $44,544 | $26,000 | Challenging | $13,815 | High | 60th 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 →
