5 Liberal Arts colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,453.
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: 5 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
George Mason University leads the rankings, producing Liberal Arts graduates earning $76,343 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $44,813—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students deliver meaningful career outcomes across Virginia.
Virginia State University serves 71% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $45,543. The best mobility schools also deliver manageable debt: George Mason University graduates face just an 8.7% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability category.
Earnings: $76,343 | Mobility: 98th percentile
71% Pell students with $45,543 earnings
8.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
21.7% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #2 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Good | $26,240 | Challenging | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $45,543 | $26,500 | Manageable | $22,181 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Challenging | $16,398 | High | 98th 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 →
