47 Liberal Arts colleges in the Midwest with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,257.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #26 | $55,177 | $19,691 | Good | $17,670 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #27 | $54,810 | — | — | — | — | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #28 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $54,735 | $21,000 | Good | $14,849 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #29 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Good | $20,764 | Challenging | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #30 | $53,909 | $19,000 | Excellent | $15,945 | Manageable | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #31 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Excellent | $16,378 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility |
| #32 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Manageable | $19,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #33 | $53,037 | $20,000 | Good | $15,027 | Manageable | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #34 | $52,581 | $21,056 | Good | $23,508 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #35 | $52,528 | $18,500 | Excellent | $13,480 | Manageable | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #36 | $52,234 | $14,600 | Excellent | $13,578 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #37 | $51,989 | $21,500 | Good | $17,781 | Challenging | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #38 | Ball State UniversityPublic | $51,833 | $23,250 | Good | $20,800 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #39 | Wichita State UniversityPublic | $51,532 | $20,500 | Manageable | $14,306 | Challenging | 73th percentile mobility |
| #40 | University Of ToledoPublic | $50,632 | $22,250 | High | $19,243 | High | 80th percentile mobility |
| #41 | $50,105 | $19,500 | Good | $14,457 | Challenging | 70th percentile mobility | |
| #42 | $49,827 | $21,992 | Manageable | $15,092 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #43 | $49,560 | $21,000 | Good | $14,000 | Manageable | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #44 | Indiana State UniversityPublic | $48,387 | $24,000 | Good | $17,049 | Challenging | 79th percentile mobility |
| #45 | $47,896 | $25,000 | Manageable | $25,947 | High | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #46 | $46,600 | $23,250 | Manageable | $22,000 | High | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #47 | $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 →
