16 Social Sciences colleges in Massachusetts with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $78,088.
We started with Social Sciences programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 16 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
At $143,372 in median earnings, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 73rd percentile mobility score. The earnings range spans from $52,349 to $143,372, demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can deliver exceptional outcomes.
University Of Massachusetts-Boston serves 43% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $65,865. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Massachusetts Institute Of Technology combines 73rd percentile mobility with just a 2.3% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $143,372 | Mobility: 73rd percentile
42.7% Pell students with $65,865 earnings
2.3% payment burden | Excellent
9.9% family burden | Good
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $143,372 | $14,768 | Excellent | $42,501 | Good | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Boston CollegePrivate | $103,937 | $19,000 | Excellent | $45,000 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Harvard UniversityPrivate | $101,817 | $14,000 | Excellent | $28,000 | Challenging | 90th percentile mobility |
| #4 | College Of The Holy CrossPrivate | $90,543 | $27,000 | Good | $39,032 | Challenging | 83th percentile mobility |
| #5 | Wellesley CollegePrivate | $84,803 | $10,000 | Excellent | $38,825 | Manageable | 75th percentile mobility |
| #6 | Boston UniversityPrivate | $83,238 | $23,250 | Good | $39,000 | High | 91th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Tufts UniversityPrivate | $83,214 | $16,250 | Excellent | $38,325 | Challenging | 83th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $71,631 | $22,763 | Good | $26,243 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $68,804 | $25,000 | High | $22,757 | High | 82th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $65,865 | $21,974 | Good | $17,163 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $64,874 | $23,704 | Challenging | $18,400 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | Simmons UniversityPrivate | $63,494 | $24,840 | Manageable | $23,772 | High | 72th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $57,466 | $24,286 | Good | $18,070 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $57,346 | $22,457 | Good | $18,544 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | Salem State UniversityPublic | $56,662 | $25,000 | Manageable | $21,128 | High | 82th percentile mobility |
| #16 | $52,349 | $25,000 | Manageable | $20,284 | High | 74th 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 →
