50 Interdisciplinary Studies colleges in the Midwest with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $61,329.
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: 42 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
University of Notre Dame leads the rankings, producing Interdisciplinary Studies graduates earning $99,980 while maintaining an 88th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $61,742—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University of Illinois Chicago serves 50% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $68,740. Even better: graduates face just a 4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $99,980 | Mobility: 88th percentile
50% Pell students with $68,740 earnings
4.3% payment burden | Excellent
11.4% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University Of Notre DamePrivate | $99,980 | $19,000 | Excellent | $40,731 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $87,989 | $24,000 | High | $31,458 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $86,182 | $17,500 | Excellent | $24,585 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Excellent | $30,250 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Excellent | $34,511 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | University Of DaytonPrivate | $75,537 | $23,250 | Excellent | $43,810 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Depauw UniversityPrivate | $70,527 | $27,000 | High | $35,134 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $69,020 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,729 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Depaul UniversityPrivate | $68,751 | $23,168 | Good | $41,563 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $68,740 | $16,704 | Excellent | $24,323 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | University Of IowaPublic | $64,762 | $22,500 | Manageable | $27,975 | High | 96th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $64,705 | $17,100 | Excellent | $9,000 | Good | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $63,742 | $19,509 | Challenging | $32,850 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $63,552 | $22,057 | Excellent | $14,269 | Good | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $63,403 | $20,500 | Good | $32,529 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | Iowa State UniversityPublic | $63,386 | $22,869 | Good | $25,950 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility |
| #19 | College Of Saint BenedictPrivate | $63,260 | $26,944 | Good | $15,778 | Manageable | 85th percentile mobility |
| #20 | $62,203 | $23,199 | Good | $14,621 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | University Of KansasPublic | $61,945 | $21,000 | Excellent | $32,347 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $61,760 | $21,977 | Excellent | $15,000 | Good | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $60,409 | $19,976 | Excellent | $25,868 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | Saint Mary's CollegePrivate | $59,354 | $27,000 | High | $48,565 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #25 | Winona State UniversityPublic | $58,532 | $21,500 | Good | $19,316 | Challenging | 84th 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 →
