11 Physical Sciences colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $60,417.
Top Physical Sciences graduates on this list earn over $83,648—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 9 programs deliver both access and results.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor leads the rankings, producing Physical Sciences graduates earning $83,648 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. Michigan State University follows at $67,253 with an even higher 98th percentile mobility ranking, proving that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Wayne State University serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $53,493. Meanwhile, Kalamazoo College delivers the best student value with just a 6.7% payment burden, earning an 'Excellent' affordability rating. Access AND affordability combined.
Earnings: $83,648 | Mobility: 97th percentile
43% Pell students with $53,493 earnings
6.7% payment burden | Excellent
21.4% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Excellent | $30,250 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $78,198 | $24,990 | Manageable | $29,300 | High | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Excellent | $37,401 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Kalamazoo CollegePrivate | $65,590 | $26,077 | Good | $49,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Excellent | $26,392 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $55,874 | $27,000 | Good | $23,103 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $53,562 | $26,188 | Manageable | $22,488 | High | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Excellent | $16,378 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $51,955 | $25,000 | Challenging | $18,264 | High | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $51,793 | $25,000 | Excellent | $16,878 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $47,107 | $21,474 | Challenging | $17,287 | High | 83th 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 →
