6 Interdisciplinary Studies colleges in Tennessee with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $60,813.
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 Interdisciplinary Studies programs made the cut.
Vanderbilt University leads the rankings, producing Interdisciplinary Studies graduates earning $91,565 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville follows with $60,249 earnings and an exceptional 96th percentile mobility rating—proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville serves 21% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while graduates face a manageable 16% payment burden. Vanderbilt delivers the best value with just an 9% burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category. Access AND affordability working together.
Earnings: $91,565 | Mobility: 86th percentile
40% Pell students with $48,458 earnings
8.5% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
28.2% family burden | High burden - payment over 25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Good | 92th percentile mobility |
| #2 | The University Of The SouthPrivate | $64,911 | $22,855 | Excellent | $56,450 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Good | $30,610 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Belmont UniversityPrivate | $55,930 | $20,500 | Good | $72,092 | High | 77th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $51,151 | $19,500 | Excellent | $17,353 | Manageable | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $48,541 | $20,000 | Good | $14,229 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | University Of MemphisPublic | $48,458 | $23,300 | Good | $15,393 | Challenging | 93th 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 →
