11 Social Sciences colleges in Maryland with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,844.
These 11 Social Sciences 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.
Johns Hopkins University leads the rankings, producing Social Sciences graduates earning $87,555 while maintaining an 87th percentile mobility score. At the top end, graduates earn over $87,000, while the lowest-earning programs still deliver $50,698—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students compete on outcomes, not just access.
Bowie State University serves 44% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $54,537. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Maryland-College Park ranks 96th percentile for mobility with just a 7% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $87,555 | Mobility: 87th percentile
43.9% Pell students with $54,537 earnings
2.2% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
9.6% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Johns Hopkins UniversityPrivate | $87,555 | $10,250 | Excellent | $29,048 | Excellent | 87th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Loyola University MarylandPrivate | $82,652 | $27,000 | Good | $50,344 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Excellent | $26,987 | Manageable | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Washington CollegePrivate | $65,518 | $26,956 | Good | $54,726 | High | 83th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Towson UniversityPublic | $64,390 | $18,718 | Good | $28,489 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Good | $33,815 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $60,110 | $21,000 | Good | $36,119 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $55,493 | $21,105 | Excellent | $21,004 | Manageable | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Bowie State UniversityPublic | $54,537 | $22,985 | Good | $23,158 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Morgan State UniversityPublic | $50,698 | $27,250 | Manageable | $22,000 | High | 91th 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 →
