106 Mathematics colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $60,389.
These 100 Mathematics programs 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.
Georgetown University leads the rankings, producing Mathematics graduates earning $103,494 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. Duke University follows at $97,800, with Vanderbilt University at $91,565. These outcomes demonstrate that schools serving low-income students can compete on results, not just access.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Vanderbilt University exemplifies this—86th percentile for mobility with just a 1.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Georgetown serves 10% Pell Grant recipients while Duke enrolls 13% Pell students, both maintaining excellent affordability ratings.
Earnings: $103,494 | Mobility: 84th percentile
19.8% Pell students with $87,555 earnings
1.9% payment burden | Excellent
6.6% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgetown UniversityPrivate | $103,494 | $15,500 | Excellent | $33,944 | Excellent | 83th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $102,772 | $21,672 | Excellent | $32,216 | Good | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Excellent | $27,998 | Excellent | 84th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $94,810 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Excellent | 86th percentile mobility |
| #6 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | $20,449 | Excellent | $30,881 | Good | 80th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Rice UniversityPrivate | $89,718 | — | — | — | — | 77th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Johns Hopkins UniversityPrivate | $87,555 | $10,250 | Excellent | $29,048 | Excellent | 86th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Good | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Good | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Excellent | $30,480 | Good | 87th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $77,369 | $22,996 | Excellent | $36,278 | Manageable | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Excellent | $30,326 | Good | 84th percentile mobility |
| #17 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Excellent | $43,000 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Excellent | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Excellent | 97th percentile mobility |
| #21 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,463 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Excellent | $26,987 | Good | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Excellent | $20,855 | Manageable | 94th 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 →
