57 Physical Sciences colleges in the West with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $64,312.
Top Physical Sciences graduates on this list earn over $97,335—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 57 programs deliver both access and results.
Colorado School Of Mines leads the rankings, producing Physical Sciences graduates earning $97,335 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. University Of California-Berkeley follows at $92,446 with a 99th percentile mobility rating, proving that schools serving 27% Pell students can compete on outcomes.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. University Of California-Berkeley exemplifies this—99th percentile for mobility with just a 6.3% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category where graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $97,335 | Mobility: 86th percentile
37% Pell students with $80,735 earnings
3.3% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
6.7% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Colorado School Of MinesPublic | $97,335 | $23,000 | Good | $53,505 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Good | $35,000 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $75,790 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $69,738 | $19,500 | Good | $46,340 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $68,905 | $19,500 | Good | $29,968 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Good | $18,275 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | University Of UtahPublic | $67,170 | $19,000 | Excellent | $18,886 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility |
| #18 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | $65,986 | $16,705 | Challenging | $27,986 | High | 88th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $64,368 | $16,144 | Excellent | $18,376 | Manageable | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $64,270 | $20,500 | Excellent | $21,716 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Good | $17,585 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | Oregon State UniversityPublic | $64,010 | $21,221 | Good | $28,923 | Challenging | 94th 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 →
