86 Liberal Arts colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $53,808.
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 86 Liberal Arts programs made the cut.
Georgetown University leads the rankings, producing Liberal Arts graduates earning $103,494 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. At the other end, University of Miami graduates earn $75,328 with a 78th percentile mobility rating—demonstrating that accessible schools deliver serious career outcomes.
George Mason University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $76,343. Even better: graduates face just a 9% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability category. These schools deliver both access AND manageable debt.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgetown UniversityPrivate | $103,494 | $15,500 | Excellent | $33,944 | Good | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #3 | University Of MiamiPrivate | $75,328 | $17,500 | Good | $37,267 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Manageable | $43,000 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Manageable | $25,072 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Good | $23,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | $21,500 | Manageable | $54,925 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #10 | Washington CollegePrivate | $65,518 | $26,956 | Challenging | $54,726 | High | 83th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $63,199 | $17,527 | Good | $12,313 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $63,126 | $20,654 | Good | $31,890 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | $62,454 | $21,500 | Manageable | $23,443 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #14 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | Good | $18,072 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $62,177 | $21,500 | Challenging | $31,393 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Manageable | $17,000 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #17 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Good | $33,815 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $61,251 | $20,500 | High | $25,645 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Good | $26,240 | Challenging | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $60,249 | $16,500 | Manageable | $13,610 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | Nova Southeastern UniversityPrivate | $59,209 | $24,250 | Manageable | $21,738 | High | 77th percentile mobility |
| #22 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $59,025 | $22,500 | High | $30,006 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #23 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Good | $16,036 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $57,743 | $17,988 | Good | $15,541 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $57,413 | $20,500 | Good | $38,513 | High | 93th 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 →
