8 Social Work colleges in Illinois with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $61,125.
Most rankings ignore accessibility. We flipped the model: first, filter for schools that actually enroll and graduate low-income students (60th percentile+ mobility). Then rank by earnings. These 8 Social Work programs made the cut.
At $81,054 in median earnings, University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign tops this list of mobility-focused programs while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. Across Illinois, Social Work outcomes range from $52,234 to $81,054—proving accessibility and strong results aren't mutually exclusive.
Northeastern Illinois University serves 54% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $52,234. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign achieves 98th percentile mobility with just a 9% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $81,054 | Mobility: 98th percentile
54% Pell students with $52,234 earnings
8.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
19.2% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $81,054 | $19,500 | Good | $34,511 | High | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | Loyola University ChicagoPrivate | $71,530 | $24,157 | Good | $54,045 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $62,117 | $20,482 | Manageable | $28,767 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $58,169 | $18,618 | Manageable | $13,991 | Challenging | 80th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $56,346 | $20,500 | Manageable | $21,500 | High | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $54,163 | $25,251 | Manageable | $20,764 | High | 74th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $53,390 | $21,543 | Manageable | $19,500 | High | 88th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $52,234 | $14,600 | Good | $13,578 | Challenging | 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 →
