33 Mathematics colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $72,872.
These 32 Mathematics programs in California aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Stanford University leads the rankings, producing Mathematics graduates earning $124,080 while maintaining a 91st percentile mobility score. University of Southern California follows with $92,498 earnings and an exceptional 96th percentile mobility rating. These outcomes prove schools serving low-income students can compete at the highest levels.
University of California-Irvine serves 37% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $80,735. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Stanford graduates face just a 2.2% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability. Access AND manageable debt.
Earnings: $124,080 | Mobility: 91st percentile
37.3% Pell students with $80,735 earnings
2.2% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
10.3% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Stanford UniversityPrivate | $124,080 | — | — | — | — | 90th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $109,183 | — | — | — | — | 74th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Pomona CollegePrivate | $77,779 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Occidental CollegePrivate | $75,951 | $23,000 | Excellent | $51,450 | Manageable | 72th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | — | — | — | — | 61th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Excellent | $18,275 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | $65,986 | $16,705 | Excellent | $27,986 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $64,368 | $16,144 | Excellent | $18,376 | Good | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Excellent | $17,585 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $63,188 | $13,540 | Excellent | $12,700 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $62,951 | $13,750 | Excellent | $16,538 | Excellent | 100th 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 →
