44 Psychology colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $70,707.
We started with Psychology programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 42 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $109,183 in median earnings, Santa Clara University tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 75th percentile mobility score. The data puts University of Southern California second—Psychology graduates earn $92,498 while the school achieves 96th percentile mobility with 22% Pell students.
University of California-Berkeley exemplifies the accessibility-outcomes balance: 27% Pell Grant recipients earning $92,446 with 99th percentile mobility. The debt story varies—UC Davis delivers a 6% payment burden (Excellent affordability), while Berkeley graduates face 15% burden. Access with different affordability profiles.
Earnings: $109,183 | Mobility: 75th percentile
33% Pell students with $84,943 earnings
5.7% payment burden | Excellent
15.3% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $109,183 | $19,162 | Excellent | $56,271 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | $89,812 | $23,000 | Excellent | $44,413 | Challenging | 73th percentile mobility |
| #6 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | $86,522 | $22,940 | Excellent | $56,559 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Palo Alto UniversityPrivate | $83,187 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #9 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | $82,939 | $23,510 | Good | $41,309 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #10 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $78,988 | — | — | — | — | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Good | $50,438 | High | 70th percentile mobility |
| #15 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Good | $15,000 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Excellent | $15,738 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | $20,500 | Excellent | $44,954 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #20 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Good | $18,275 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | Sonoma State UniversityPublic | $65,986 | $16,705 | Excellent | $27,986 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th 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 →
