160 Psychology colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $57,223.
Top Psychology graduates on this list earn over $103,494—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 160 programs deliver both access and results.
Georgetown University leads the rankings, producing Psychology graduates earning $103,494 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. The top three schools—Georgetown, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Duke—all exceed $97,000 in median earnings, proving that accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. Rice University exemplifies this—78th percentile for mobility with just a 4.3% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings. Georgetown combines the highest earnings with 'Excellent' affordability at 5.2% burden.
Earnings: $103,494 | Mobility: 84th percentile
19.8% Pell students with $87,555 earnings
4.3% payment burden | Excellent
18.3% family burden | Challenging
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgetown UniversityPrivate | $103,494 | $15,500 | Excellent | $33,944 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $102,772 | $21,672 | High | $32,216 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Good | $27,998 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #5 | George Washington UniversityPrivate | $90,873 | $20,449 | Challenging | $30,881 | High | 80th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Rice UniversityPrivate | $89,718 | $11,000 | Excellent | $35,338 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Johns Hopkins UniversityPrivate | $87,555 | $10,250 | Excellent | $29,048 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Good | $35,200 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Loyola University MarylandPrivate | $82,652 | $27,000 | Good | $50,344 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Manageable | $35,325 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | Emory UniversityPrivate | $80,137 | $18,250 | Good | $30,480 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $77,369 | $22,996 | Good | $36,278 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | High | 98th percentile mobility |
| #15 | University Of MiamiPrivate | $75,328 | $17,500 | Good | $37,267 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Manageable | $26,632 | High | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Good | $30,326 | High | 85th percentile mobility |
| #18 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Good | $43,000 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #19 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $72,097 | $17,804 | Good | $32,258 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | $72,085 | $21,096 | Manageable | $33,899 | High | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Good | $18,837 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #23 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Manageable | $35,463 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Good | $26,987 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 93th 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 →
