Discover 46 Legal Studies colleges that excel at moving low-income students to success. Schools must be in the 60th percentile+ for mobility, ranked by graduate earnings. Average earnings: $59,541.
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 44 Legal Studies programs made the cut.
University Of California-Berkeley leads the rankings, producing Legal Studies graduates earning $92,446 while maintaining a 99th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $59,505—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of California-Santa Cruz serves 32% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $68,396. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: UC Berkeley combines 99th percentile mobility with just a 5% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $92,446 | Mobility: 99th percentile
32% Pell students with $68,396 earnings
5% payment burden | Excellent
16% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $89,363 | — | — | — | — | 89th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Drexel UniversityPrivate | $84,648 | $25,325 | Excellent | $40,932 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Amherst CollegePrivate | $77,644 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #6 | University Of MiamiPrivate | $75,328 | $17,500 | Excellent | $37,267 | Good | 76th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Excellent | $26,243 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $69,571 | $25,000 | Good | $54,289 | High | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Temple UniversityPublic | $63,727 | $24,395 | Good | $36,495 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $62,668 | $19,500 | Excellent | $23,519 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Excellent | $28,767 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $61,415 | $22,000 | Excellent | $24,693 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | University Of ArizonaPublic | $59,979 | $19,620 | Good | $30,126 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #18 | Nova Southeastern UniversityPrivate | $59,209 | — | — | — | — | 73th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $59,004 | $17,831 | Good | $14,731 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | Winona State UniversityPublic | $58,532 | $21,500 | Good | $19,316 | Challenging | 73th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Excellent | $16,036 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $57,780 | — | — | — | — | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $57,131 | — | — | — | — | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $56,195 | $11,000 | Excellent | $16,130 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Good | $26,392 | Challenging | 92th 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 →
