8 Philosophy colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,751.
These 8 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 Virginia-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Philosophy graduates earning $86,863 while maintaining a 93rd percentile mobility score. Virginia Polytechnic Institute follows at $81,698 with an even stronger 95th percentile mobility ranking. These outcomes prove that schools serving low-income students can compete at the highest levels.
Liberty University serves 39% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $44,813 with manageable debt burdens. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University Of Virginia combines 93rd percentile mobility with just a 7% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $86,863 | Mobility: 93rd percentile
39% Pell students with $44,813 earnings
7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
20% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Good | $35,325 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Challenging | $30,326 | High | 85th percentile mobility |
| #4 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Challenging | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Manageable | $26,240 | High | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Randolph-Macon CollegePrivate | $58,448 | $27,000 | Challenging | $46,254 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $58,128 | $21,500 | High | $23,585 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Manageable | $16,398 | High | 98th 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 →
