25 Nursing colleges in Texas with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $61,461.
These 21 Nursing programs in Texas 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.
The University of Texas at Austin leads the rankings, producing Nursing graduates earning $75,121 while maintaining a perfect 100th percentile mobility score. Texas A&M University-College Station follows at $72,097 with 99th percentile mobility. These outcomes prove that schools serving low-income students can compete at the highest levels.
University of Houston-Clear Lake serves 44% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $59,004. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Texas A&M International University ranks 93rd percentile for mobility with just a 4.1% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $75,121 | Mobility: 100th percentile
43.8% Pell students with $59,004 earnings
4.1% payment burden | Excellent
6.8% family burden | Excellent
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $92,961 | $13,396 | Excellent | $19,051 | Good | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $92,348 | $12,268 | Excellent | $17,355 | Excellent | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $88,757 | $13,063 | Excellent | $19,446 | Excellent | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $82,206 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,624 | Good | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | $21,500 | Excellent | $54,925 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $63,199 | $17,527 | Excellent | $12,313 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | Excellent | $18,072 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $59,004 | $17,831 | Excellent | $14,731 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $57,053 | $17,137 | Excellent | $15,463 | Excellent | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $56,906 | $21,000 | Excellent | $22,500 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility |
| #13 | Texas Woman's UniversityPublic | $56,544 | $19,218 | Excellent | $13,471 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $55,747 | $21,030 | Excellent | $19,367 | Good | 75th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $54,211 | $21,983 | Good | $19,433 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $53,040 | $19,606 | Excellent | $17,125 | Good | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $51,865 | $23,000 | Excellent | $25,348 | Good | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $50,923 | $18,000 | Excellent | $11,916 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $50,741 | $19,500 | Good | $12,719 | Manageable | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $50,296 | — | — | — | — | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | Lamar UniversityPublic | $49,652 | $21,250 | Good | $11,359 | Manageable | 79th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $49,634 | $23,409 | Good | $18,080 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $49,620 | $12,950 | Excellent | $8,107 | Excellent | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $48,386 | $15,000 | Excellent | $8,721 | Excellent | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $45,411 | $27,000 | Excellent | $16,012 | Good | 92th 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 →
