13 Legal Studies colleges in the Midwest with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,248.
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 12 Legal Studies programs made the cut.
Northwestern University leads the rankings, producing Legal Studies graduates earning $89,363 while maintaining a 90th percentile mobility score. The range spans from $45,388 to $89,363—proving that schools serving low-income students can deliver competitive outcomes, not just access.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Central Michigan University exemplifies this—88th percentile for mobility with just an 8% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $89,363 | Mobility: 90th percentile
37% Pell students with $53,390 earnings
8% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
16% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $89,363 | — | — | — | — | 89th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Excellent | $28,767 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Winona State UniversityPublic | $58,532 | $21,500 | Good | $19,316 | Challenging | 73th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Good | $26,392 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $55,198 | $20,000 | Excellent | $17,205 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $54,810 | $21,250 | Excellent | $23,602 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Manageable | $19,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Ball State UniversityPublic | $51,833 | $23,250 | Good | $20,800 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $51,793 | $25,000 | Good | $16,878 | Manageable | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | University Of ToledoPublic | $50,632 | $22,250 | Good | $19,243 | Challenging | 80th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $45,388 | $24,500 | Good | $21,394 | Challenging | 87th 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 →
