6 Liberal Arts colleges in Louisiana with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $49,178.
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 6 Liberal Arts programs made the cut.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural & Mechanical College leads the rankings, producing Liberal Arts graduates earning $61,251 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. Even the lowest earner on this list hits $46,453—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of Louisiana At Lafayette serves 39% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $47,089. However, debt burdens vary significantly across these mobility leaders. Northwestern State University Of Louisiana offers the most manageable burden at 16% of discretionary income, while others exceed 25%—a crucial difference for graduates managing loan payments.
Earnings: $61,251 | Mobility: 97th percentile
38.8% Pell students with $47,089 earnings
13.5% payment burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
20.9% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $61,251 | $20,500 | High | $25,645 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $47,089 | $22,902 | High | $13,655 | High | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $47,021 | $25,000 | Manageable | $11,900 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $46,769 | $21,500 | Manageable | $10,174 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $46,482 | $22,113 | Challenging | $10,611 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Mcneese State UniversityPublic | $46,453 | $23,000 | Challenging | $13,410 | High | 71th 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 →
