6 Family & Consumer Sciences colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,516.
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 6 Family & Consumer Sciences programs made the cut.
University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign leads the rankings, producing Family & Consumer Sciences graduates earning $81,054 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $62,516—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of Illinois Chicago serves 50% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $68,740. Even better: graduates face just a 16% payment burden, landing in the 'Manageable' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $81,054 | Mobility: 98th percentile
49.6% Pell students with $68,740 earnings
8.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
26.4% family burden | High burden - payment over 25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Good | $34,511 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Manageable | $24,323 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Manageable | $28,767 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $57,808 | $22,162 | Good | $19,508 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $53,390 | $21,543 | High | $19,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $51,989 | $21,500 | Manageable | $17,781 | High | 74th 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 →
