11 Legal Studies colleges in the Northeast with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,466.
These 10 Legal Studies programs aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Drexel University leads the rankings, producing Legal Studies graduates earning $84,648 while maintaining an 89th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $47,295—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes across the earnings spectrum.
CUNY John Jay College serves 59% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $56,195. Even better: graduates face just a 5% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $84,648 | Mobility: 89th percentile
59% Pell students with $56,195 earnings
5.2% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
10.7% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Excellent | $40,932 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Amherst CollegePrivate | $77,644 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Excellent | $26,243 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $69,571 | $25,000 | Good | $54,289 | High | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Temple UniversityPublic | $63,727 | $24,395 | Good | $36,495 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $61,415 | $22,000 | Excellent | $24,693 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $57,780 | — | — | — | — | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $56,195 | $11,000 | Excellent | $16,130 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $49,365 | $10,533 | Excellent | $9,563 | Good | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $47,860 | $20,000 | Good | $16,771 | Challenging | 60th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $47,295 | — | — | — | — | 81th 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 →
