8 Physical Sciences colleges in Tennessee with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $48,784.
These 8 Physical Sciences 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.
The University of Tennessee-Knoxville leads the rankings, producing Physical Sciences graduates earning $60,249 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. Across Tennessee, these mobility-focused programs average $48,784 in graduate earnings—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga serves 33% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $51,151. However, graduates face a 27% payment burden, placing it in the 'High burden' category. East Tennessee State University offers better affordability with just a 10% payment burden despite strong 88th percentile mobility.
Earnings: $60,249 | Mobility: 96th percentile
46% Pell students with $44,301 earnings
9.8% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
19.6% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Manageable | $30,610 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $51,151 | $19,500 | High | $17,353 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $48,541 | $20,000 | Manageable | $14,229 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $48,501 | $15,650 | Good | $11,640 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | University Of MemphisPublic | $48,458 | $23,300 | Manageable | $15,393 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $44,859 | $19,442 | Good | $16,938 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $44,301 | $20,547 | Challenging | $14,710 | High | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $44,213 | $21,024 | Manageable | $13,218 | Challenging | 72th 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 →
