Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Social Mobility (2026)
Updated
This page ranks 227 Liberal Arts colleges in the United States by how well they deliver economic mobility. Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads the list with median earnings of $143,372 for all students ten years after entry. Across the full set, the median earnings figure is $57,602, with a range from $143,372 at the top to $38,924 at the bottom.
Public institutions make up 84% of the list, with 191 schools compared to 36 private nonprofits. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College posts the lowest average net price on the page at $3,033.
Carnegie Mellon University ranks 83rd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, the highest such percentile among the top three schools.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median earnings, 10 years after entry | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Pell share | Mobility percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology · Cambridge, MA | $143,372 | $20,111 | -$2,533* | 19.3% | 71st |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology reports median earnings of $143,372 for its students ten years after entry, the highest figure on this list, and sits at the 71st percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (11 graduates) | ||||||
| 2 | Bentley University · Waltham, MA | $120,959 | $37,930 | $21,196 | 16.1% | 74th |
| An average net price of $21,196 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with Bentley University's median earnings of $120,959 ten years after entry, and the school ranks 2nd on this page. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (80 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($105,183) | ||||||
| 3 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $114,862 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 16.0% | 83rd |
| Carnegie Mellon University posts an 83rd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and median earnings of $114,862 for its students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (26 graduates) | ||||||
| 4 | Georgetown University · Washington, DC | $103,494 | $40,815 | $5,064 | 10.1% | 83rd |
| Georgetown University reports an average net price of $5,064 for families earning under $30,000, and its students earn a median of $103,494 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (18 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($112,722) | ||||||
| 5 | Yale University · New Haven, CT | $100,533 | $23,777 | $17,633 | 20.4% | 81st |
| With an 81st percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, Yale University reports median earnings of $100,533 ten years after entry and an average net price of $23,777. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (16 graduates) | ||||||
| 6 | Villanova University · Villanova, PA | $100,423 | $43,756 | $17,823 | 12.0% | 71st |
| Villanova University ranks 6th on this list, with median earnings of $100,423 ten years after entry and a 71st percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (49 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($53,181) | ||||||
| 7 | University of Notre Dame · Notre Dame, IN | $99,980 | $26,780 | $7,244 | 13.7% | 87th |
| An average net price of $7,244 for families earning under $30,000 accompanies median earnings of $99,980 ten years after entry at University of Notre Dame, which sits at the 87th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (32 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($60,369) | ||||||
| 8 | University of Chicago · Chicago, IL | $91,885 | $14,860 | -$1,264* | 15.3% | 86th |
| University of Chicago reports an average net price of $14,860 and median earnings of $91,885 for its students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (20 graduates) | ||||||
| 9 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $90,768 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 19.2% | 94th |
| A public university in San Luis Obispo, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reaches the 94th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $90,768 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (107 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($68,171) | ||||||
| 10 | Northwestern University · Evanston, IL | $89,363 | $29,167 | $1,764 | 18.6% | 89th |
| Northwestern University reports an average net price of $1,764 for families earning under $30,000, alongside median earnings of $89,363 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (6 graduates) | ||||||
| 11 | Providence College · Providence, RI | $87,054 | $48,523 | $28,152 | 13.4% | 60th |
| Providence College sits at the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, the qualifying threshold for this list, and reports median earnings of $87,054 ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (11 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($62,111) | ||||||
| 12 | University of San Diego · San Diego, CA | $86,522 | $30,365 | $15,586 | 20.9% | 75th |
| University of San Diego reports a 75th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions and median earnings of $86,522 for its students ten years after entry. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (26 graduates) | ||||||
| 13 | Fordham University · Bronx, NY | $85,569 | $44,338 | $32,474 | 21.4% | 74th |
| Fordham University ranks 13th on this list, with a Pell share of 21% and an average net price of $44,338. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (17 graduates) | ||||||
| 14 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $84,648 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 26.8% | 89th |
| With an average net price of $28,055 for families earning under $30,000, Drexel University ranks 14th on this list. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (43 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($84,166) | ||||||
| 15 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, MI | $83,648 | $13,138 | $1,043 | 18.1% | 97th |
| A public university in Ann Arbor, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor sits at the 97th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (53 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($67,859) | ||||||
| 16 | Pepperdine University · Malibu, CA | $82,939 | $58,098 | $50,560 | 20.3% | 72nd |
| Pepperdine University ranks 16th on this list, with a Pell share of 20% and an average net price of $58,098. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (12 graduates) | ||||||
| 17 | New York University · New York, NY | $82,509 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 17.9% | 93rd |
| At the 93rd percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, New York University reports an average net price of $16,977 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (549 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($66,502) | ||||||
| 18 | Emory University · Atlanta, GA | $80,137 | $22,585 | $7,363 | 18.2% | 86th |
| Emory University enrolls a Pell share of 18% and reports an average net price of $22,585. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (8 graduates) | ||||||
| 19 | San Jose State University · San Jose, CA | $78,988 | $13,760 | $9,730 | 35.2% | 98th |
| A public university in San Jose, San Jose State University sits at the 98th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (56 graduates) | ||||||
| 20 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $78,466 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 14.9% | 95th |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 20th on this list, with an average net price of $6,384 for families earning under $30,000. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (10 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($46,844) | ||||||
| 21 | Loyola Marymount University · Los Angeles, CA | $78,349 | $48,381 | $32,268 | 13.2% | 60th |
| A private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, Loyola Marymount University reports an average net price of $48,381. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (19 graduates) | ||||||
| 22 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $76,571 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 27.2% | 80th |
| Rochester Institute of Technology sits at the 80th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions, and reports an average net price of $34,906. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (92 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($63,845) | ||||||
| 23 | George Mason University · Fairfax, VA | $76,343 | $17,915 | $11,942 | 30.1% | 98th |
| George Mason University reports a Pell share of 30% and an average net price of $17,915. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (321 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities ($61,100) | ||||||
| 24 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College · New York, NY | $75,971 | $3,033 | $607 | 56.9% | 98th |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College posts the lowest average net price on the page at $3,033, alongside a Pell share of 57%. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (22 graduates) | ||||||
| 25 | Brigham Young University · Provo, UT | $75,790 | $15,564 | $10,444 | 32.1% | 98th |
| At Brigham Young University, the share of undergraduates receiving Pell Grants is 32% and the school sits at the 98th percentile on Azimuth's mobility index among nonprofit four-year institutions. | ||||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (34 graduates) | ||||||
* Net price can be negative: when grants and scholarships exceed the listed cost of attendance, students can receive the difference as a refund for other expenses.
How this list is ordered
Schools first had to sit at or above the 60th percentile on Azimuth's mobility pillar; those that qualified are ordered by the school's median earnings of all students ten years after entry, highest first, as set out on Azimuth's methodology page. The figure is the median earnings of all federally aided students at each institution, measured ten years after entry for those working and not enrolled. It does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Bentley University is $22,413, with the top figure at $143,372 and the bottom at $38,924 across the 227 schools listed.