8 Natural Resources colleges in Wisconsin with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $57,097.
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 8 Natural Resources programs made the cut.
University Of Wisconsin-Madison leads the rankings, producing Natural Resources graduates earning $73,792 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $57,097—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $54,990. The debt burden story varies: University Of Wisconsin-River Falls delivers a 10% payment burden ('Good' category), while others reach over 100%—a meaningful difference for graduates managing loan payments.
Earnings: $73,792 | Mobility: 96th percentile
30% Pell students with $54,990 earnings
10% payment burden | Good
19% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Good | $28,364 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $58,084 | $23,000 | High | $11,000 | High | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $55,548 | $21,500 | High | $13,500 | High | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $55,356 | $23,188 | Manageable | $18,635 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $54,990 | $23,000 | Challenging | $16,149 | High | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $54,458 | $20,500 | Good | $14,500 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $52,528 | $18,500 | Good | $13,480 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $52,021 | $21,503 | Good | $14,012 | Challenging | 85th 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 →
