9 Public Administration colleges in Tennessee with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $52,896.
Top Public Administration graduates on this list earn over $91,565—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 9 programs deliver both access and results.
Vanderbilt University leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $91,565 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. The University of Tennessee-Knoxville follows at $60,249 with an impressive 96th percentile mobility rating—demonstrating that accessible schools can deliver strong career outcomes.
Tennessee State University serves 52% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while producing graduates earning $42,730. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Vanderbilt graduates face just a 5.5% payment burden ('Excellent' affordability), while UT-Chattanooga serves 33% Pell students with manageable 16% debt burdens.
Earnings: $91,565 | Mobility: 86th percentile
52% Pell students with $42,730 earnings
5.5% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
19.5% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Excellent | $30,844 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Manageable | $30,610 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $51,151 | $19,500 | Manageable | $17,353 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $48,541 | $20,000 | Challenging | $14,229 | High | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | University Of MemphisPublic | $48,458 | $23,300 | Challenging | $15,393 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $44,859 | $19,442 | Manageable | $16,938 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $44,301 | $20,547 | Challenging | $14,710 | High | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $44,213 | $21,024 | Manageable | $13,218 | High | 72th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $42,730 | $27,000 | High | $18,771 | High | 82th 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 →
