7 Parks & Recreation colleges in Wisconsin with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,486.
These 7 Parks & Recreation programs in Wisconsin 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.
University of Wisconsin-Madison leads the rankings, producing Parks & Recreation graduates earning $73,792 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $59,486—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
Ripon College serves 33% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $54,902. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Wisconsin-Madison combines 96th percentile mobility with just a 7.8% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability.
Earnings: $73,792 | Mobility: 96th percentile
33% Pell students with $54,902 earnings
7.8% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
20.3% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $61,760 | $21,977 | Manageable | $15,000 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $60,378 | $22,500 | Manageable | $16,958 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $58,561 | $20,909 | Manageable | $12,452 | Challenging | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $54,990 | $23,000 | Good | $16,149 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Ripon CollegePrivate | $54,902 | $27,000 | Manageable | $28,995 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $52,021 | $21,503 | Challenging | $14,012 | High | 85th 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 →
