88 Liberal Arts colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $54,025.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #26 | $57,413 | $20,500 | Good | $38,513 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #27 | $57,131 | $20,500 | Good | $13,859 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #28 | $57,010 | $19,250 | Excellent | $23,211 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #29 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $56,906 | $21,000 | Good | $22,500 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility |
| #30 | $56,746 | $17,236 | Good | $15,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #31 | Texas Woman's UniversityPublic | $56,544 | $19,218 | Good | $13,471 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility |
| #32 | West Virginia UniversityPublic | $55,939 | $22,500 | Good | $32,980 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility |
| #33 | $55,493 | $21,105 | Good | $21,004 | Challenging | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #34 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Good | $19,710 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility |
| #35 | $54,501 | $22,300 | Manageable | $20,498 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #36 | $54,211 | $21,983 | Good | $19,433 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #37 | University Of LouisvillePublic | $53,899 | $20,500 | Manageable | $20,717 | High | 87th percentile mobility |
| #38 | $53,236 | $23,250 | Manageable | $16,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #39 | $53,040 | $19,606 | Manageable | $17,125 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #40 | $51,836 | — | — | — | — | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #41 | St. John's CollegePrivate | $51,584 | $27,000 | Manageable | $28,485 | High | 72th percentile mobility |
| #42 | $51,513 | $22,142 | Manageable | $25,567 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #43 | $51,151 | $19,500 | Challenging | $17,353 | High | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #44 | $50,994 | $20,000 | Manageable | $29,387 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #45 | $50,741 | $19,500 | Good | $12,719 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #46 | Morgan State UniversityPublic | $50,698 | $27,250 | Good | $22,000 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility |
| #47 | $50,296 | $20,500 | Good | $15,265 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #48 | Athens State UniversityPublic | $50,273 | $18,051 | Excellent | $12,896 | Manageable | 75th percentile mobility |
| #49 | $50,220 | $23,000 | Good | $14,877 | Challenging | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #50 | $50,135 | $17,750 | Good | $12,100 | Manageable | 85th 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 →
