9 Physical Sciences colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $84,918.
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: 9 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $143,372 in median earnings, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 73rd percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $56,662 to $143,372, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can deliver exceptional outcomes.
University Of Massachusetts-Boston serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $65,865. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: MIT exemplifies this with 73rd percentile mobility and just a 1.4% payment burden, meaning graduates keep nearly all their earnings.
Earnings: $143,372 | Mobility: 73rd percentile
43% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
1.4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
6.1% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $143,372 | $14,768 | Excellent | $42,501 | Good | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | — | — | — | — | 82th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Excellent | $34,984 | Manageable | 60th percentile mobility |
| #4 | College Of The Holy CrossPrivate | $90,543 | $27,000 | Excellent | $39,032 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | — | — | — | — | 91th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Excellent | $26,243 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $64,874 | $23,704 | Excellent | $18,400 | Good | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $57,466 | $24,286 | Excellent | $18,070 | Good | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Salem State UniversityPublic | $56,662 | $25,000 | Good | $21,128 | Challenging | 75th 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 →
