13 Nursing colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $74,159.
These 10 Nursing programs in Massachusetts 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.
Mcphs University leads the rankings, producing Nursing graduates earning $125,557 while maintaining a 75th percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $52,349 to $125,557, with an average of $73,052—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of Massachusetts-Boston serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $65,865. Even better: graduates face just a 7% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Boston College exemplifies low-debt outcomes with a 4.3% burden despite strong $103,937 earnings.
Earnings: $125,557 | Mobility: 75th percentile
43% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
4.3% payment burden | Excellent
9.4% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mcphs UniversityPrivate | $125,557 | $25,000 | Excellent | $46,544 | Manageable | 73th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | $19,000 | Excellent | $45,000 | Manageable | 82th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Excellent | $34,984 | Manageable | 60th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $87,130 | $24,961 | Excellent | $27,310 | Good | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Excellent | $26,243 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $68,804 | $25,000 | Excellent | $22,757 | Good | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Excellent | $17,163 | Excellent | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $64,874 | $23,704 | Excellent | $18,400 | Good | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Simmons UniversityPrivate | $63,494 | $24,840 | Good | $23,772 | Manageable | 70th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $57,346 | $22,457 | Excellent | $18,544 | Good | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Salem State UniversityPublic | $56,662 | $25,000 | Excellent | $21,128 | Good | 75th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $53,874 | $24,239 | Excellent | $16,500 | Good | 61th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $52,349 | $25,000 | Excellent | $20,284 | Good | 73th 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 →
