9 Nursing colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,480.
Top Nursing graduates on this list earn over $83,648—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 9 programs deliver both access and results.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor leads the rankings, producing Nursing graduates earning $83,648 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. Michigan State follows at $67,253 with 98th percentile mobility. These outcomes prove schools serving low-income students compete on earnings, not just access.
Wayne State University serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $53,493. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Ferris State combines 85th percentile mobility with just an 8.8% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $83,648 | Mobility: 97th percentile
43% Pell students with $53,493 earnings
8.8% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
15.9% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Good | $30,250 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Good | $37,401 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $58,612 | $22,750 | Good | $17,858 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Good | $26,392 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $54,735 | $21,000 | Excellent | $14,849 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $53,562 | $26,188 | Manageable | $22,488 | High | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Excellent | $16,378 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $51,793 | $25,000 | Good | $16,878 | Challenging | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $47,107 | $21,474 | Good | $17,287 | Manageable | 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 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
