20 Public Administration colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $65,676.
These 20 Public Administration programs 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.
University Of Southern California leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $92,498 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. UC Berkeley follows closely at $92,446 with an exceptional 99th percentile mobility rating. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $65,676—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
California State University-Long Beach serves 49% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $64,403. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: California State University-Northridge exemplifies this with 100th percentile mobility and just a 4% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $92,498 | Mobility: 96th percentile
49% Pell students with $64,403 earnings
3.6% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
7.5% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Good | $31,803 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $78,988 | $15,000 | Excellent | $20,820 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Good | $28,682 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Excellent | $18,275 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Good | $25,565 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Good | $17,585 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $62,951 | $13,750 | Excellent | $16,538 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $61,504 | $26,063 | Excellent | $31,387 | Challenging | 75th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $61,244 | $14,505 | Good | $12,050 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $59,977 | $14,715 | Excellent | $12,000 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $59,247 | $12,750 | Excellent | $16,836 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $59,211 | $13,000 | Excellent | $12,526 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $59,115 | $13,872 | Excellent | $13,522 | Excellent | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $59,009 | $16,600 | Excellent | $9,000 | Good | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $57,162 | $13,807 | Excellent | $11,061 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $47,626 | $18,000 | Good | $18,257 | Challenging | 88th 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 →
