49 Interdisciplinary Studies colleges in the Northeast with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $76,824.
Top Interdisciplinary Studies graduates on this list earn over $143,372—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 45 programs deliver both access and results.
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology leads the rankings, producing Interdisciplinary Studies graduates earning $143,372 while maintaining a 73rd percentile mobility score. Carnegie Mellon University follows at $114,862 with an 84th percentile mobility rating, proving that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
University Of Pennsylvania serves 16% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $111,371. Even better: graduates face just a 3.2% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $143,372 | Mobility: 73rd percentile
22.5% Pell students with $102,491 earnings
2.0% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.9% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $143,372 | — | — | — | — | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Carnegie Mellon UniversityPrivate | $114,862 | $21,750 | Excellent | $37,130 | Excellent | 83th percentile mobility |
| #3 | University Of PennsylvaniaPrivate | $111,371 | $15,715 | Excellent | $33,124 | Good | 88th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Lehigh UniversityPrivate | $105,584 | $21,960 | Excellent | $42,245 | Manageable | 79th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Cornell UniversityPrivate | $104,043 | $14,000 | Excellent | $38,000 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | $19,000 | Excellent | $45,000 | Manageable | 82th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $103,470 | — | — | — | — | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $102,491 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $102,051 | $23,750 | Excellent | $52,241 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Harvard UniversityPrivate | $101,817 | $14,000 | Excellent | $28,000 | Good | 90th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Yale UniversityPrivate | $100,533 | — | — | — | — | 81th percentile mobility |
| #12 | Brown UniversityPrivate | $93,487 | $11,428 | Excellent | $48,245 | Challenging | 83th percentile mobility |
| #13 | College Of The Holy CrossPrivate | $90,543 | $27,000 | Excellent | $39,032 | Challenging | 83th percentile mobility |
| #14 | Providence CollegePrivate | $87,054 | $27,000 | Good | $46,300 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #15 | Fordham UniversityPrivate | $85,569 | $24,300 | Good | $37,095 | High | 74th percentile mobility |
| #16 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Excellent | $40,932 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility |
| #17 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | $23,250 | Excellent | $39,000 | Good | 91th percentile mobility |
| #18 | Tufts UniversityPrivate | $83,214 | $16,250 | Excellent | $38,325 | Excellent | 83th percentile mobility |
| #19 | New York UniversityPrivate | $82,509 | $20,500 | Excellent | $64,795 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #20 | Binghamton UniversityPublic | $80,596 | $18,500 | Excellent | $27,270 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility |
| #21 | Colby CollegePrivate | $80,490 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $76,124 | $19,000 | Excellent | $51,114 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | Stony Brook UniversityPublic | $74,502 | $18,228 | Excellent | $21,400 | Good | 97th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Excellent | $25,294 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $73,997 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,324 | Manageable | 95th 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 →
