11 Physical Sciences colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $68,511.
Most rankings ignore accessibility. We flipped the model: first, filter for schools that actually enroll and graduate low-income students (60th percentile+ mobility). Then rank by earnings. These 11 Physical Sciences programs made the cut.
University Of Virginia-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Physical Sciences graduates earning $86,863 while maintaining a 93rd percentile mobility score. Virginia Tech follows at $81,698 with an even stronger 95th percentile mobility rating. Across this list, graduate earnings average $68,511—proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Old Dominion University serves 37% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $54,914. The debt story varies widely: University Of Virginia graduates face just a 7% payment burden ('Good' affordability), while others reach concerning levels. Access with manageable debt delivers the real mobility win.
Earnings: $86,863 | Mobility: 93rd percentile
36.9% Pell students with $54,914 earnings
7.2% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
20.6% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $77,369 | — | — | — | — | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Good | 98th percentile mobility |
| #5 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Excellent | $30,326 | Manageable | 84th percentile mobility |
| #6 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,240 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Excellent | $44,122 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,585 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Old Dominion UniversityPublic | $54,914 | $24,000 | Good | $18,866 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | — | — | — | — | 88th 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 →
