10 Public Administration colleges in Michigan with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,220.
Top Public Administration graduates on this list earn over $83,648—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 10 programs deliver both access and results.
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $83,648 while maintaining a 97th percentile mobility score. Michigan State University follows with $67,253 earnings and 98th percentile mobility, proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Wayne State University serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $53,493. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor achieves 97th percentile mobility with just a 4.9% payment burden, meaning graduates keep more of their earnings.
Earnings: $83,648 | Mobility: 97th percentile
43% Pell students with $53,493 earnings
4.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
13.7% family burden | Manageable - payment 12-18% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $83,648 | $19,500 | Excellent | $30,250 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $67,253 | $23,250 | Good | $37,401 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Oakland UniversityPublic | $58,612 | $22,750 | Manageable | $17,858 | Challenging | 88th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $56,118 | $24,500 | Manageable | $26,392 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $55,874 | $27,000 | Manageable | $23,103 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Ferris State UniversityPublic | $54,735 | $21,000 | Manageable | $14,849 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $53,562 | $26,188 | Manageable | $22,488 | High | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | Wayne State UniversityPublic | $53,493 | $21,250 | Manageable | $16,378 | High | 95th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $51,793 | $25,000 | Manageable | $16,878 | High | 83th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $47,107 | $21,474 | Manageable | $17,287 | High | 73th 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 →
