11 Mathematics colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $60,589.
We started with Mathematics programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 11 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor leads the rankings, producing Mathematics graduates earning $83,648 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. Michigan Technological University follows at $78,198, with Michigan State University at $67,253—all three demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
University Of Michigan-Dearborn serves 44% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $59,649. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University Of Michigan-Ann Arbor achieves 97th percentile mobility with just a 3.5% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $83,648 | Mobility: 97th percentile
43.9% Pell students with $59,649 earnings
3.5% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
9.9% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Excellent | $30,250 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $78,198 | $24,990 | Excellent | $29,300 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $59,649 | — | — | — | — | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $58,612 | $22,750 | Good | $17,858 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Excellent | $26,392 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $55,874 | $27,000 | Excellent | $23,103 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $54,735 | — | — | — | — | 84th percentile mobility |
| #9 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Excellent | $16,378 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $51,793 | — | — | — | — | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $47,107 | — | — | — | — | 71th 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 →
