15 Liberal Arts colleges in Texas with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $57,069.
We started with Liberal Arts programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 15 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
The University Of Texas At Austin leads the rankings, producing Liberal Arts graduates earning $75,121 while maintaining a 100th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $57,069—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
The University Of Texas At San Antonio serves 42% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $57,131. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: The University Of Texas At Austin combines 100th percentile mobility with just a 7.6% payment burden, classified as 'Excellent' affordability.
Earnings: $75,121 | Mobility: 100th percentile
42% Pell students with $57,131 earnings
7.6% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
16.1% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | $21,500 | Manageable | $54,925 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $63,199 | $17,527 | Good | $12,313 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | $62,454 | $21,500 | Manageable | $23,443 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #5 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | Good | $18,072 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $57,131 | $20,500 | Manageable | $13,859 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $57,010 | $19,250 | Good | $23,211 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $56,906 | $21,000 | Good | $22,500 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility |
| #9 | Texas Woman's UniversityPublic | $56,544 | $19,218 | Good | $13,471 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $54,211 | $21,983 | Manageable | $19,433 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $53,040 | $19,606 | Manageable | $17,125 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $50,741 | $19,500 | Good | $12,719 | Challenging | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $50,296 | $20,500 | Manageable | $15,265 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | Lamar UniversityPublic | $49,652 | $21,250 | Manageable | $11,359 | Challenging | 79th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $38,924 | $29,000 | Manageable | $19,929 | High | 88th 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 →
