32 Foreign Languages colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $69,794.
These 31 Foreign Languages 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.
University Of Southern California leads the rankings, producing Foreign Languages graduates earning $92,498 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. At the top, UC Berkeley follows closely at $92,446 with an exceptional 99th percentile mobility rating—proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
UC Berkeley serves 27% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $92,446. Even better: graduates face just a 5.1% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. UC Irvine takes accessibility further, serving 37% Pell students with graduates earning $80,735.
Earnings: $92,498 | Mobility: 96th percentile
37.3% Pell students with $80,735 earnings
5.1% payment burden | Excellent
18.0% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Good | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | $86,522 | — | — | — | — | 76th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Excellent | $50,438 | High | 70th percentile mobility |
| #9 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #10 | Occidental CollegePrivate | $75,951 | $23,000 | Excellent | $51,450 | Challenging | 72th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | — | — | — | — | 61th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Good | $28,682 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Good | $18,275 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | $65,986 | $16,705 | Excellent | $27,986 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Excellent | $17,585 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $63,188 | $13,540 | Excellent | $12,700 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $62,951 | $13,750 | Excellent | $16,538 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $62,908 | — | — | — | — | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $62,152 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,033 | Challenging | 90th 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 →
