16 English colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $65,640.
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 15 English programs made the cut.
University Of Chicago leads the rankings, producing English graduates earning $91,885 while maintaining an 87th percentile mobility score. Northwestern University follows at $89,363 with 90th percentile mobility. The data proves schools serving low-income students can deliver exceptional outcomes.
Governors State University serves 52% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $58,169. Northwestern University exemplifies the double win: 90th percentile mobility with just a 7% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $91,885 | Mobility: 87th percentile
52% Pell students with $58,169 earnings
7% payment burden | Excellent
20% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University Of ChicagoPrivate | $91,885 | $15,000 | Excellent | $33,297 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $89,363 | $15,000 | Excellent | $26,966 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Good | $34,511 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Good | $54,045 | High | 76th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Illinois Wesleyan UniversityPrivate | $70,871 | $27,000 | Manageable | $47,679 | High | 81th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Depaul UniversityPrivate | $68,751 | $23,168 | Good | $41,563 | High | 85th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Good | $24,323 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Good | $28,767 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Lake Forest CollegePrivate | $61,825 | $26,158 | Good | $35,000 | High | 72th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $58,169 | $18,618 | Good | $13,991 | Manageable | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $57,808 | $22,162 | Good | $19,508 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $56,346 | $20,500 | Manageable | $21,500 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Manageable | $20,764 | High | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Challenging | $19,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $52,234 | $14,600 | Excellent | $13,578 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $51,989 | $21,500 | Good | $17,781 | Challenging | 71th 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 →
