6 Nursing colleges in Indiana with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $55,645.
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 6 Nursing programs made the cut.
Purdue University-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Nursing graduates earning $72,424 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $55,645—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Indiana University-Indianapolis exemplifies the double win: 92nd percentile for mobility with just a 7.6% payment burden, earning 'Excellent' affordability status. At 36% Pell Grant recipients, the school serves genuine need while graduates earning $55,198 keep most of their income.
Earnings: $72,424 | Mobility: 95th percentile
39% Pell students with $48,387 earnings
7.6% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
15.1% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $72,424 | $19,500 | Good | $29,448 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Saint Mary's CollegePrivate | $59,354 | $27,000 | Good | $48,565 | High | 81th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $55,198 | $20,000 | Excellent | $17,205 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Ball State UniversityPublic | $51,833 | $23,250 | Manageable | $20,800 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Indiana State UniversityPublic | $48,387 | $24,000 | Manageable | $17,049 | High | 81th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Huntington UniversityPrivate | $46,672 | $25,576 | Good | $24,974 | Challenging | 72th 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 →
