41 Public Administration colleges in the West with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $63,051.
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 43 Public Administration programs made the cut.
University Of Southern California leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $92,498 while maintaining a 96th percentile mobility score. The top tier reaches earnings over $92,000, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
University Of California-Riverside serves 47% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $67,699. Even better: graduates face just a 5% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category. These schools deliver both access AND affordability.
Earnings: $92,498 | Mobility: 96th percentile
47% Pell students with $67,699 earnings
5% payment burden | Excellent
12% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $78,988 | — | — | — | — | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Pomona CollegePrivate | $77,779 | — | — | — | — | 62th percentile mobility |
| #7 | $68,905 | $19,500 | Excellent | $29,968 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $68,396 | $16,666 | Excellent | $28,682 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Good | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $67,699 | $17,500 | Excellent | $18,275 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | University Of UtahPublic | $67,170 | $19,000 | Excellent | $18,886 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $64,876 | $15,000 | Excellent | $16,507 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $64,403 | $14,289 | Excellent | $15,177 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $64,172 | $16,552 | Excellent | $17,585 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $62,951 | $13,750 | Excellent | $16,538 | Good | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $62,668 | $19,500 | Good | $23,519 | Challenging | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $62,569 | $18,500 | Good | $23,123 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $61,580 | $19,500 | Good | $22,000 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | $61,504 | $26,063 | Excellent | $31,387 | Manageable | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #21 | University Of OregonPublic | $61,324 | $20,139 | Excellent | $44,405 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility |
| #22 | $61,244 | $14,505 | Excellent | $12,050 | Good | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $60,614 | $18,922 | Excellent | $26,150 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | $60,543 | $20,000 | Good | $36,000 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | University Of ArizonaPublic | $59,979 | $19,620 | Excellent | $30,126 | Manageable | 97th 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 →
