8 Nursing colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $63,171.
Top Nursing graduates on this list earn over $86,863—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 8 programs deliver both access and results.
University Of Virginia-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Nursing graduates earning $86,863 while maintaining a 93rd percentile mobility score. George Mason University follows at $76,343 with an impressive 98th percentile mobility rating, proving accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
George Mason University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $76,343. Even better: graduates face just a 7.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability. These schools deliver both access AND manageable debt.
Earnings: $86,863 | Mobility: 93rd percentile
39% Pell students with $44,813 earnings
5.3% payment burden | Excellent
13.0% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #3 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,240 | Manageable | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,585 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Old Dominion UniversityPublic | $54,914 | $24,000 | Good | $18,866 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Good | $22,158 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Manageable | $16,398 | High | 98th 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 →
