53 Public Administration colleges in the Northeast with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $64,985.
These 50 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.
Princeton University leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $110,066 while maintaining a 77th percentile mobility score. Cornell University follows at $104,043 with an exceptional 94th percentile mobility rating. These outcomes prove schools serving low-income students can compete at the highest levels.
Cuny Bernard M Baruch College serves 55% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $75,971. Even better: graduates face excellent affordability with payment burdens under 8% of discretionary income. Access AND affordability working together.
Earnings: $110,066 | Mobility: 77th percentile
55.3% Pell students with $75,971 earnings
2.9% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
11.3% family burden | Good - payment 8-12% 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 | Good | 75th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Cornell UniversityPrivate | $104,043 | $14,000 | Excellent | $38,000 | Excellent | 93th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Brown UniversityPrivate | $93,487 | $11,428 | Excellent | $48,245 | Manageable | 83th percentile mobility |
| #4 | Northeastern UniversityPrivate | $92,538 | $24,250 | Good | $34,984 | Challenging | 60th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Providence CollegePrivate | $87,054 | $27,000 | Excellent | $46,300 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Fordham UniversityPrivate | $85,569 | $24,300 | Excellent | $37,095 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility |
| #7 | New York UniversityPrivate | $82,509 | $20,500 | Excellent | $64,795 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Syracuse UniversityPrivate | $79,164 | $26,000 | Excellent | $39,841 | Manageable | 82th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $75,971 | $11,512 | Excellent | $20,000 | Good | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Adelphi UniversityPrivate | $75,482 | $25,000 | Excellent | $48,005 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Stony Brook UniversityPublic | $74,502 | $18,228 | Excellent | $21,400 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $74,479 | $21,500 | Excellent | $25,294 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $73,997 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,324 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | Seton Hall UniversityPrivate | $70,196 | $22,750 | Excellent | $40,003 | Challenging | 74th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $69,743 | $22,250 | Good | $28,000 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | University At AlbanyPublic | $67,979 | $19,500 | Excellent | $22,398 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility |
| #17 | $67,541 | $21,000 | Good | $27,655 | Challenging | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $66,479 | $26,814 | Good | $36,545 | High | 81th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $66,125 | $24,250 | Good | $35,031 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Good | $17,163 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | Temple UniversityPublic | $63,727 | $24,395 | Good | $36,495 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #22 | Simmons UniversityPrivate | $63,494 | $24,840 | Good | $23,772 | Manageable | 70th percentile mobility |
| #23 | Cuny Hunter CollegePublic | $63,163 | $11,000 | Excellent | $20,252 | Good | 97th percentile mobility |
| #24 | University Of VermontPublic | $62,472 | $20,951 | Good | $48,000 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #25 | $61,415 | $22,000 | Good | $24,693 | Challenging | 98th 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 May 2026 refresh for 2026 rankings, based on Department of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
