5 Mathematics colleges in Alabama with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $54,735.
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 5 Mathematics programs made the cut.
Auburn University leads the rankings, producing Mathematics graduates earning $65,337 while maintaining an 89th percentile mobility score. The University of Alabama follows at $59,221 with 92nd percentile mobility. These outcomes prove schools serving low-income students can compete on earnings, not just access.
University of Alabama at Birmingham serves 33% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $54,501. The school maintains 86th percentile mobility with a manageable 13% payment burden. This demonstrates the double win: access AND affordability for graduates managing loan payments.
Earnings: $65,337 | Mobility: 89th percentile
43% Pell students with $45,235 earnings
8% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
26% family burden | High burden - payment over 25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Good | $43,605 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Good | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $54,501 | $22,300 | Manageable | $20,498 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $49,379 | $24,929 | Manageable | $26,683 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $45,235 | $22,189 | High | $13,672 | High | 86th 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 →
