43 Philosophy colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $63,245.
These 43 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.
Georgetown University leads the rankings, producing Philosophy graduates earning $103,494 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. The University of Virginia follows at $86,863 with a 93rd percentile mobility rating. These outcomes prove that schools serving low-income students can compete at the highest levels.
The University of Texas at Austin serves 25% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $75,121. Vanderbilt University exemplifies the double win: 86th percentile for mobility with just a 3.3% payment burden, meaning Philosophy graduates keep nearly all their earnings while managing loans.
Earnings: $103,494 | Mobility: 84th percentile
25.1% Pell students with $75,121 earnings
3.3% payment burden | Excellent
11.5% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgetown UniversityPrivate | $103,494 | $15,500 | Manageable | $33,944 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Good | 86th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Good | $35,325 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Challenging | $30,480 | High | 88th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Challenging | $26,632 | High | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Challenging | $30,326 | High | 85th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Manageable | $25,072 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Good | $32,258 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #12 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Manageable | $35,463 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #13 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Challenging | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #14 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | High | $20,855 | High | 95th percentile mobility |
| #15 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | High | $18,072 | High | 99th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $62,177 | $21,500 | High | $31,393 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Manageable | $17,000 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Good | $25,645 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Manageable | $26,240 | High | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $60,249 | $16,500 | High | $13,610 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Challenging | $30,610 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $59,221 | $22,750 | High | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $59,025 | $22,500 | High | $30,006 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #24 | Randolph-Macon CollegePrivate | $58,448 | $27,000 | Challenging | $46,254 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #25 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Challenging | $16,036 | High | 99th 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 →
