6 Public Administration colleges in Indiana with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $54,198.
These 6 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.
Indiana University-Bloomington leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $63,742 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $46,672—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes across the entire list.
Indiana State University serves 39% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $48,387. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Indiana University-Bloomington ranks 95th percentile for mobility with just a 7% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $63,742 | Mobility: 95th percentile
39% Pell students with $48,387 earnings
6.7% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
19.7% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $63,742 | $19,509 | Excellent | $32,850 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Saint Mary's CollegePrivate | $59,354 | $27,000 | Manageable | $48,565 | High | 81th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $55,198 | $20,000 | Good | $17,205 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | Ball State UniversityPublic | $51,833 | $23,250 | Manageable | $20,800 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Indiana State UniversityPublic | $48,387 | $24,000 | Manageable | $17,049 | High | 81th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Huntington UniversityPrivate | $46,672 | $25,576 | High | $24,974 | High | 72th 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 →
