15 Psychology colleges in Wisconsin with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,646.
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 15 Psychology programs made the cut.
Marquette University leads the rankings, producing Psychology graduates earning $78,257 while maintaining an 80th percentile mobility score. The University of Wisconsin-Madison follows at $73,792 with an exceptional 96th percentile mobility rating. These outcomes prove accessibility and performance aren't mutually exclusive.
The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $55,000. Meanwhile, UW-Madison delivers the strongest value proposition: graduates face just a 10% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability tier. This combination of access and manageable debt represents the mobility ideal.
Earnings: $78,257 | Mobility: 80th percentile
30% Pell students with $54,990 earnings
9.5% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
22.7% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Marquette UniversityPrivate | $78,257 | $23,940 | Good | $45,500 | High | 79th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $73,792 | $20,484 | Excellent | $28,364 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $61,760 | $21,977 | Good | $15,000 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $60,378 | $22,500 | Good | $16,958 | Manageable | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $58,561 | $20,909 | Excellent | $12,452 | Manageable | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $58,084 | $23,000 | Good | $11,000 | Manageable | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Lawrence UniversityPrivate | $55,789 | $26,000 | Manageable | $59,814 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $55,548 | $21,500 | Good | $13,500 | Manageable | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $55,356 | $23,188 | Good | $18,635 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $54,990 | $23,000 | Good | $16,149 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Ripon CollegePrivate | $54,902 | $27,000 | Manageable | $28,995 | High | 71th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $54,458 | $20,500 | Good | $14,500 | Manageable | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Beloit CollegePrivate | $53,260 | $25,738 | Manageable | $32,004 | High | 82th percentile mobility |
| #14 | $52,528 | $18,500 | Good | $13,480 | Manageable | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $52,021 | $21,503 | Good | $14,012 | Challenging | 85th 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 →
