76 Social Sciences colleges in the West with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $67,808.
Top Social Sciences graduates on this list earn over $124,080—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 75 programs deliver both access and results.
Stanford University leads the rankings, producing Social Sciences graduates earning $124,080 while maintaining a 91st percentile mobility score. University of Southern California follows with $92,498 earnings and an exceptional 96th percentile mobility rating—proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
University of California-San Diego serves 33% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $84,943. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: Stanford exemplifies this with 91st percentile mobility and just a 2.3% payment burden, meaning graduates keep nearly all their earnings.
Earnings: $124,080 | Mobility: 91st percentile
32.9% Pell students with $84,943 earnings
2.3% payment burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
8.2% family burden | Excellent - payment under 8% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Stanford UniversityPrivate | $124,080 | $12,000 | Excellent | $38,333 | Good | 90th percentile mobility |
| #2 | Santa Clara UniversityPrivate | $109,183 | $19,162 | Excellent | $56,271 | Good | 74th percentile mobility |
| #3 | Claremont Mckenna CollegePrivate | $104,736 | $13,500 | Excellent | $52,129 | Manageable | 62th percentile mobility |
| #4 | $92,498 | $18,000 | Excellent | $31,803 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $92,446 | $13,000 | Excellent | $28,508 | Good | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | University Of San FranciscoPrivate | $89,812 | $23,000 | Excellent | $44,413 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #8 | University Of San DiegoPrivate | $86,522 | $22,940 | Good | $56,559 | High | 76th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $84,943 | $15,500 | Excellent | $24,257 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | Pepperdine UniversityPrivate | $82,939 | $23,510 | Excellent | $41,309 | Good | 73th percentile mobility |
| #11 | $82,511 | $14,000 | Excellent | $26,176 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $80,838 | $13,000 | Excellent | $25,733 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $80,735 | $15,000 | Excellent | $22,665 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $78,988 | — | — | — | — | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $78,466 | $14,615 | Excellent | $24,883 | Good | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Excellent | $50,438 | High | 70th percentile mobility |
| #17 | Loyola Marymount UniversityPrivate | $78,349 | $19,500 | Excellent | $58,361 | Challenging | 61th percentile mobility |
| #18 | Pomona CollegePrivate | $77,779 | $11,782 | Excellent | $27,861 | Good | 62th percentile mobility |
| #19 | Occidental CollegePrivate | $75,951 | $23,000 | Excellent | $51,450 | Challenging | 72th percentile mobility |
| #20 | Brigham Young UniversityPrivate | $75,790 | $11,069 | Excellent | $9,699 | Excellent | 98th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $74,915 | $13,993 | Excellent | $26,465 | Manageable | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $71,902 | $16,000 | Excellent | $15,000 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | $71,401 | $16,544 | Excellent | $15,738 | Good | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #24 | Chapman UniversityPrivate | $70,070 | $20,500 | Excellent | $44,954 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #25 | $69,738 | $19,500 | Excellent | $46,340 | High | 93th 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 →
