7 Public Administration colleges in New Jersey with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $71,219.
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 7 Public Administration programs made the cut.
Princeton University leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $110,066 while maintaining a 77th percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $57,237 to $110,066—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
Rutgers University-New Brunswick exemplifies the double win: 27% Pell Grant recipients earning $74,479 with just an 11% payment burden, landing in the 'Good affordability' category. Meanwhile, Princeton achieves excellent affordability at just 4% burden, meaning graduates keep nearly all their earnings after loan payments.
Earnings: $110,066 | Mobility: 77th percentile
46% Pell students with $57,237 earnings
3.6% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
20.0% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Princeton UniversityPrivate | $110,066 | $10,320 | Excellent | $41,000 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Good | $25,294 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Seton Hall UniversityPrivate | $70,196 | $22,750 | Good | $40,003 | High | 75th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $67,541 | $21,000 | Good | $27,655 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $61,415 | $22,000 | Challenging | $24,693 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Stockton UniversityPublic | $57,602 | $20,500 | Good | $23,182 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Kean UniversityPublic | $57,237 | $23,250 | Manageable | $22,000 | High | 92th 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 →
