101 Physical Sciences colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,791.
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 | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | — | — | — | — | 84th percentile mobility |
| #3 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | — | — | — | — | 80th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Excellent | $30,480 | Manageable | 87th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $77,369 | — | — | — | — | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Good | 98th percentile mobility |
| #10 | University Of MiamiPrivate | $75,328 | — | — | — | — | 76th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Excellent | $30,326 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #13 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Excellent | $43,000 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Excellent | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Excellent | $32,258 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Good | 97th percentile mobility |
| #17 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,463 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $69,960 | — | — | — | — | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility |
| #20 | Wofford CollegePrivate | $68,964 | — | — | — | — | 85th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Excellent | $23,000 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | — | — | — | — | 94th percentile mobility |
| #23 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | — | — | — | — | 76th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $68,227 | $18,000 | Excellent | $21,495 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Excellent | $43,605 | Challenging | 89th 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 →
