9 Foreign Languages colleges in North Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $61,735.
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 10 Foreign Languages programs made the cut.
Duke University leads the rankings, producing Foreign Languages graduates earning $97,800 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $44,030—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of North Carolina At Greensboro serves 47% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $48,160. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Duke University ranks 84th percentile for mobility with just a 4% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $97,800 | Mobility: 84th percentile
47% Pell students with $48,160 earnings
4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
14% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Excellent | $27,998 | Good | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Good | $19,809 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Manageable | $19,710 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $54,967 | $19,500 | Good | $22,737 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $51,836 | $20,231 | Good | $21,919 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $49,458 | $21,868 | Manageable | $18,241 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $48,160 | $22,858 | Good | $14,638 | Challenging | 92th 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 →
