47 Philosophy colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $63,703.
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 | — | — | — | — | 83th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | — | — | — | — | 86th percentile mobility |
| #3 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | $20,449 | Excellent | $30,881 | Challenging | 80th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $81,698 | — | — | — | — | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | — | — | — | — | 87th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Excellent | $30,326 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #13 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | — | — | — | — | 89th percentile mobility |
| #14 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | — | — | — | — | 94th percentile mobility |
| #17 | $66,330 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | Excellent | $18,072 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $62,177 | — | — | — | — | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Good | $17,000 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Good | $25,645 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $60,613 | — | — | — | — | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $60,249 | $16,500 | Good | $13,610 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Excellent | $30,610 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $59,221 | — | — | — | — | 91th 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 →
