10 Psychology colleges in Tennessee with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $55,315.
These 11 Psychology programs in Tennessee aren't just accessible—they deliver results. Each school ranks in the 60th percentile or above for social mobility, meaning they actually enroll and graduate low-income students. Then we ranked them by graduate earnings, finding schools that are both accessible AND high-performing.
Vanderbilt University leads the rankings, producing Psychology graduates earning $91,565 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $42,730—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes across the earnings spectrum.
Austin Peay State University serves 46% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $44,301. Meanwhile, Vanderbilt University delivers the best debt story: graduates face just a 6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability.
Earnings: $91,565 | Mobility: 86th percentile
46% Pell students with $44,301 earnings
6% payment burden | Excellent
21% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Manageable | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Rhodes CollegePrivate | $66,651 | — | — | — | — | 78th percentile mobility |
| #3 | The University Of The SouthPrivate | $64,911 | $22,855 | Good | $56,450 | High | 81th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $51,151 | $19,500 | Manageable | $17,353 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $48,541 | $20,000 | Good | $14,229 | Manageable | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $48,501 | $15,650 | Good | $11,640 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | University Of MemphisPublic | $48,458 | $23,300 | Manageable | $15,393 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $44,859 | $19,442 | Manageable | $16,938 | High | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $44,301 | $20,547 | Manageable | $14,710 | High | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $44,213 | $21,024 | Challenging | $13,218 | High | 70th 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 →
