104 Physical Sciences colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $59,007.
These 102 Physical Sciences programs in the South 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.
Georgia Institute Of Technology-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Physical Sciences graduates earning $102,772 while maintaining a 92nd percentile mobility score. Across this list, outcomes span from $69,954 to $102,772—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on earnings, not just access.
George Mason University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $76,343. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Georgia Institute Of Technology combines 92nd percentile mobility with just a 5% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $102,772 | Mobility: 92nd percentile
30% Pell students with $76,343 earnings
5.1% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
13.9% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $102,772 | $21,672 | Excellent | $32,216 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | High | $27,998 | High | 91th percentile mobility |
| #3 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | $20,449 | Good | $30,881 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Good | $28,903 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Excellent | $30,480 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $78,354 | $19,500 | Manageable | $40,025 | High | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Wake Forest UniversityPrivate | $78,158 | $21,500 | Manageable | $30,000 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $77,369 | $22,996 | Manageable | $36,278 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility |
| #12 | University Of RichmondPrivate | $76,178 | $21,000 | High | $30,512 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #13 | University Of MiamiPrivate | $75,328 | $17,500 | High | $37,267 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Excellent | $30,326 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility |
| #16 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Excellent | $43,000 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility |
| #17 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Good | 99th percentile mobility |
| #20 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,463 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Manageable | $26,987 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 96th percentile mobility |
| #23 | Wofford CollegePrivate | $68,964 | $25,732 | Challenging | $58,390 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | High | $20,855 | High | 97th 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 →
