95 Social Work colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $52,633.
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 96 Social Work programs made the cut.
George Mason University leads the rankings, producing Social Work graduates earning $76,343 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. The University of Texas at Austin follows at $75,121 with perfect 100th percentile mobility. These outcomes prove schools serving low-income students can compete on results, not just access.
The University of Texas at Arlington serves 40% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $63,199. The best mobility schools also deliver manageable debt: George Mason graduates face just a 7.7% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability category. Access AND affordability.
Earnings: $76,343 | Mobility: 98th percentile
40% Pell students with $63,199 earnings
7.7% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
18.9% family burden | Challenging - payment 18-25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | George Mason UniversityPublic | $76,343 | $19,500 | Good | $25,142 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $75,121 | $20,500 | Good | $26,632 | High | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $69,960 | $19,500 | Good | $26,987 | Challenging | 89th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Manageable | $23,000 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Manageable | $20,855 | High | 95th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | $21,500 | Good | $54,925 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #8 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Good | $43,605 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #9 | $63,199 | $17,527 | Good | $12,313 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $63,126 | $20,654 | Manageable | $31,890 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | Texas Tech UniversityPublic | $62,454 | $21,500 | Manageable | $23,443 | High | 97th percentile mobility |
| #12 | $62,177 | $21,500 | Manageable | $31,393 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Good | $17,000 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #14 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Good | $33,815 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #15 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Good | $25,645 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Manageable | $44,122 | High | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #17 | $60,249 | $16,500 | Good | $13,610 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #18 | $60,249 | $20,500 | Manageable | $30,610 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Manageable | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $59,025 | $22,500 | Challenging | $30,006 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $59,004 | $17,831 | Good | $14,731 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Manageable | $16,036 | High | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #23 | University Of ArkansasPublic | $58,191 | $21,500 | Manageable | $28,086 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Manageable | $23,585 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | $57,743 | $17,988 | Manageable | $15,541 | High | 98th 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 →
