10 Mathematics colleges in North Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,964.
Top Mathematics graduates on this list earn over $97,800—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 10 programs deliver both access and results.
Duke University leads the rankings, producing Mathematics graduates earning $97,800 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill follows at $72,200 with an exceptional 95th percentile mobility ranking, proving elite outcomes and accessibility can coexist.
University of North Carolina at Greensboro serves 47% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $48,160. The best mobility schools also deliver manageable debt: Duke graduates face just a 2.1% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $97,800 | Mobility: 84th percentile
47% Pell students with $48,160 earnings
2.1% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.4% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Excellent | $27,998 | Excellent | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Good | $19,809 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Good | $19,710 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $54,967 | $19,500 | Good | $22,737 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $51,836 | $20,231 | Good | $21,919 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $49,458 | $21,868 | Challenging | $18,241 | High | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $48,160 | $22,858 | Challenging | $14,638 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $44,030 | $20,500 | Manageable | $20,305 | High | 74th 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 →
