6 Philosophy colleges in North Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,472.
Most rankings ignore accessibility. We flipped the model: first, filter for schools that actually enroll and graduate low-income students (60th percentile+ mobility). Then rank by earnings. These 5 Philosophy programs in North Carolina made the cut.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads with Philosophy graduates earning $72,200 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. The earnings gap is substantial—top programs reach $72,200 while others land at $48,160, proving that mobility-focused schools can still deliver premium outcomes.
UNC Charlotte serves 34% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $57,289. However, debt burdens vary dramatically across the list. UNC Chapel Hill graduates face a manageable 17% payment burden, while others exceed 47%—a crucial difference for loan repayment.
Earnings: $72,200 | Mobility: 95th percentile
47% Pell students with $48,160 earnings
17% payment burden | Manageable
41% family burden | High burden
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Good | $19,809 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $54,967 | $19,500 | Manageable | $22,737 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $49,458 | — | — | — | — | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $48,160 | — | — | — | — | 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 →
