9 Public Administration colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $62,691.
We started with Public Administration programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 9 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University leads the rankings, producing Public Administration graduates earning $81,698 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $62,691—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
George Mason University exemplifies the double win: 98th percentile for mobility with just a 7.7% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings. The school serves 30% Pell Grant recipients and 30% first-generation students while still producing graduates earning $76,343—proving access and affordability go hand-in-hand.
Earnings: $81,698 | Mobility: 95th percentile
71% Pell students with $45,543 earnings
7.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
18.9% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Good | $35,325 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #3 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Good | $30,326 | Challenging | 85th percentile mobility |
| #4 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Manageable | $44,122 | High | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Manageable | $23,585 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Manageable | $22,158 | High | 87th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $45,543 | $26,500 | Manageable | $22,181 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Challenging | $16,398 | High | 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 2024-2025 Dept of Education reporting standards. Learn about our methodology →
