7 Family & Consumer Sciences colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $65,565.
Top Family & Consumer Sciences graduates on this list earn over $86,863—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 6 programs deliver both access and results.
University Of Virginia-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Family & Consumer Sciences graduates earning $86,863 while maintaining a 93rd percentile mobility score. Virginia Tech follows at $81,698 with an even stronger 95th percentile mobility rating, proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Virginia State University serves 71% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $45,543. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: James Madison University exemplifies this with 93rd percentile mobility and just a 9% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $86,863 | Mobility: 93rd percentile
71% Pell students with $45,543 earnings
9% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
27.7% family burden | High burden - payment over 25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility |
| #4 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Good | $22,158 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $45,543 | $26,500 | Manageable | $22,181 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Challenging | $16,398 | High | 99th 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 →
