14 Public Administration colleges in North Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $55,137.
Top Public Administration graduates on this list earn over $97,800—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 14 programs deliver both access and results.
Duke University leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $97,800 while maintaining an 84th percentile mobility score. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill follows at $72,200 with an impressive 95th percentile mobility rating, proving accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Winston-Salem State University exemplifies true accessibility, serving 62% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $45,344. Across this list, graduates face manageable debt burdens: Duke leads with just 2.4% payment burden (Excellent affordability), while NC State maintains reasonable 13.9% burden despite higher debt levels.
Earnings: $97,800 | Mobility: 84th percentile
62% Pell students with $45,344 earnings
2.4% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
8.3% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Duke UniversityPrivate | $97,800 | $13,000 | Excellent | $27,998 | Good | 84th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Manageable | $23,000 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Manageable | $19,809 | High | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Manageable | $19,710 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $54,967 | $19,500 | Manageable | $22,737 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $51,836 | $20,231 | Manageable | $21,919 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $49,458 | $21,868 | Good | $18,241 | Manageable | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $48,160 | $22,858 | Manageable | $14,638 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $45,344 | $25,000 | Manageable | $12,030 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $44,440 | $27,000 | Challenging | $20,004 | High | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $43,407 | $25,000 | Manageable | $10,984 | High | 77th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $42,968 | $28,250 | Challenging | $19,245 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $40,144 | $22,987 | Manageable | $8,791 | Challenging | 80th 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 →
