6 Physical Sciences colleges in Colorado with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,035.
We started with Physical Sciences programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 6 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Colorado School Of Mines leads the rankings, producing Physical Sciences graduates earning $97,335 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $52,093—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes across the earnings spectrum.
University Of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus exemplifies the double win: 91st percentile for mobility with just a 6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Meanwhile, Metropolitan State University Of Denver serves 35% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while maintaining good affordability outcomes.
Earnings: $97,335 | Mobility: 86th percentile
35% Pell students with $52,093 earnings
6.0% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
13.4% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Colorado School Of MinesPublic | $97,335 | $23,000 | Good | $53,505 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $69,738 | $19,500 | Good | $46,340 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $64,270 | $20,500 | Excellent | $21,716 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $60,543 | $20,000 | Good | $36,000 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $52,231 | $20,470 | Good | $22,566 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $52,093 | $21,500 | Good | $13,743 | Manageable | 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 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
