6 Social Work colleges in Alabama with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $52,384.
We started with Social Work programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 6 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
Auburn University leads the rankings, producing Social Work graduates earning $65,337 while maintaining an 89th percentile mobility score. At the other end, graduates still earn $40,628—demonstrating that Alabama's mobility-focused programs deliver meaningful career outcomes across the board.
University Of Alabama At Birmingham serves 33% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while graduates earn $54,501. The payment burden sits at 17% of discretionary income, landing in the 'Manageable' category. These schools deliver both access and reasonable debt loads.
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Good | $43,605 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Manageable | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $54,501 | $22,300 | Manageable | $20,498 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $49,379 | $24,929 | Challenging | $26,683 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $45,235 | $22,189 | Challenging | $13,672 | High | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | Alabama A & M UniversityPublic | $40,628 | $31,000 | Challenging | $19,266 | High | 81th 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 →
