7 Liberal Arts colleges in Ohio with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $51,188.
Top Liberal Arts graduates on this list earn over $60,409—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 6 programs deliver both access and results.
Ohio State University-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Liberal Arts graduates earning $60,409 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. At $51,953 in average earnings across all programs, these schools prove that serving low-income students doesn't mean compromising on career outcomes.
Kent State University At Kent serves 27% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $45,388. The mobility advantage extends to debt management: Ohio University-Main Campus graduates face just a 15% payment burden, landing in the 'Manageable' category for affordability.
Earnings: $60,409 | Mobility: 96th percentile
27% Pell students with $45,388 earnings
15.2% payment burden | Manageable
32.3% family burden | High burden
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $60,409 | $19,976 | Good | $25,868 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $54,810 | — | — | — | — | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $52,581 | $21,056 | Good | $23,508 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | University Of ToledoPublic | $50,632 | $22,250 | High | $19,243 | High | 80th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $47,896 | $25,000 | Manageable | $25,947 | High | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $46,600 | $23,250 | Manageable | $22,000 | High | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $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 →
