101 Physical Sciences colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,791.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #26 | Towson UniversityPublic | $64,390 | $18,718 | Excellent | $28,489 | Good | 95th percentile mobility |
| #27 | $63,199 | $17,527 | Excellent | $12,313 | Good | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #28 | $63,126 | $20,654 | Excellent | $31,890 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #29 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | $62,454 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,443 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #30 | University Of HoustonPublic | $62,377 | $18,194 | Excellent | $18,072 | Good | 100th percentile mobility |
| #31 | $62,177 | $21,500 | Excellent | $31,393 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #32 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Excellent | $17,000 | Good | 97th percentile mobility |
| #33 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Excellent | $33,815 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility |
| #34 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Excellent | $25,645 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #35 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,240 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #36 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Excellent | $44,122 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #37 | $60,249 | $16,500 | Excellent | $13,610 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #38 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Excellent | $30,610 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #39 | $59,221 | — | — | — | — | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #40 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $59,025 | $22,500 | Excellent | $30,006 | Manageable | 92th percentile mobility |
| #41 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Excellent | $16,036 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #42 | University Of ArkansasPublic | $58,191 | $21,500 | Good | $28,086 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #43 | $58,140 | $22,250 | Excellent | $15,753 | Good | 71th percentile mobility | |
| #44 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,585 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #45 | $57,743 | $17,988 | Excellent | $15,541 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #46 | $57,552 | $23,833 | Good | $19,000 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #47 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Excellent | $19,809 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #48 | $57,131 | $20,500 | Good | $13,859 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #49 | $57,010 | $19,250 | Excellent | $23,211 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #50 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $56,906 | $21,000 | Good | $22,500 | Manageable | 99th 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 →
