7 Philosophy colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $74,435.
These 7 Philosophy programs 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 Chicago leads the rankings, producing Philosophy graduates earning $91,885 while maintaining an 87th percentile mobility score. Northwestern University follows at $89,363 with 90th percentile mobility. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $74,435—demonstrating that accessible programs can compete on outcomes.
University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign serves 24% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while ranking 98th percentile for mobility and producing graduates earning $81,054. Even better: graduates face just a 13% payment burden, landing in the 'Manageable' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $91,885 | Mobility: 87th percentile
32% Pell students with $56,346 earnings
6.3% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
22.4% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | University Of ChicagoPrivate | $91,885 | $15,000 | Excellent | $33,297 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Northwestern UniversityPrivate | $89,363 | $15,000 | Challenging | $26,966 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Manageable | $34,511 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Manageable | $54,045 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Depaul UniversityPrivate | $68,751 | $23,168 | Manageable | $41,563 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Manageable | $28,767 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $56,346 | $20,500 | High | $21,500 | High | 89th 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 →
