45 Physical Therapy colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $53,109.
Top Physical Therapy graduates on this list earn over $76,343—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 45 programs deliver both access and results.
George Mason University leads the rankings, producing Physical Therapy graduates earning $76,343 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. The University of Texas at Austin follows at $75,121 with a perfect 100th percentile mobility rating, proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
George Mason University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $76,343. Even better: graduates face just a 7.4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. Access AND affordability delivered.
Earnings: $76,343 | Mobility: 98th percentile
30% Pell students with $76,343 earnings
5.7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
12.8% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,632 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Excellent | $18,837 | Good | 97th percentile mobility |
| #5 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Good | $20,855 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $63,126 | $20,654 | Excellent | $31,890 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $62,177 | $21,500 | Manageable | $31,393 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Good | $17,000 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #9 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Excellent | $33,815 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Good | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Nova Southeastern UniversityPrivate | $59,209 | $24,250 | Excellent | $21,738 | Manageable | 77th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Excellent | $23,585 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Excellent | $19,809 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | Texas State UniversityPublic | $56,906 | $21,000 | Excellent | $22,500 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $55,747 | $21,030 | Excellent | $19,367 | Good | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Good | $19,710 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #17 | $54,211 | $21,983 | Manageable | $19,433 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Good | $22,158 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $53,236 | $23,250 | Good | $16,000 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $51,836 | $20,231 | Good | $21,919 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $50,994 | $20,000 | Good | $29,387 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $50,220 | $23,000 | Excellent | $14,877 | Manageable | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $49,458 | $21,868 | Manageable | $18,241 | High | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $49,379 | $24,929 | Good | $26,683 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $49,361 | $24,779 | High | $19,136 | Challenging | 83th 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 →
