5 Interdisciplinary Studies colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,475.
We started with Interdisciplinary Studies programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 5 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $83,648 in median earnings, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $51,793 to $83,648, proving schools serving diverse student populations can deliver competitive outcomes.
Eastern Michigan University serves 37% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $51,793. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor ranks 97th percentile for mobility with just a 8% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $83,648 | Mobility: 97th percentile
36.6% Pell students with $51,793 earnings
7.7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
21.4% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Excellent | $30,250 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Manageable | $37,401 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Challenging | $26,392 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $53,562 | $26,188 | Challenging | $22,488 | High | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $51,793 | $25,000 | Manageable | $16,878 | High | 83th 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 →
