16 Social Sciences colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $66,555.
Top Social Sciences graduates on this list earn over $86,863—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 13 programs deliver both access and results.
University Of Virginia-Main Campus leads the rankings, producing Social Sciences graduates earning $86,863 while maintaining a 93rd percentile mobility score. Virginia Tech follows at $81,698 with an even stronger 95th percentile mobility ranking, proving schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Virginia Commonwealth University serves 30% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $58,128. The debt story is equally impressive: top performers like UVA leave graduates with just a 6% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability.
Earnings: $86,863 | Mobility: 93rd percentile
30% Pell students with $58,128 earnings
6% payment burden | Excellent
16% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $94,810 | $19,500 | Excellent | $38,000 | Good | 62th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $86,863 | $17,500 | Excellent | $28,903 | Manageable | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $81,698 | $21,500 | Excellent | $35,325 | Manageable | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $77,369 | $22,996 | Excellent | $36,278 | Manageable | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Excellent | $25,142 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility |
| #6 | William & MaryPublic | $73,490 | $18,500 | Excellent | $30,326 | Good | 84th percentile mobility |
| #7 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Excellent | $37,285 | Challenging | 93th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Hampden-Sydney CollegePrivate | $67,640 | $26,000 | Excellent | $61,239 | High | 61th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $60,613 | $20,500 | Excellent | $26,240 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Good | $44,122 | Challenging | 78th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Randolph-Macon CollegePrivate | $58,448 | $27,000 | Excellent | $46,254 | Challenging | 77th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Good | $23,585 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Old Dominion UniversityPublic | $54,914 | $24,000 | Good | $18,866 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility |
| #14 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Good | $22,158 | Manageable | 88th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $45,543 | $26,500 | Manageable | $22,181 | High | 85th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Good | $16,398 | Manageable | 99th 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 →
