7 Social Work colleges in Virginia with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $58,433.
Top Social Work graduates on this list earn over $76,343—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 7 programs deliver both access and results.
George Mason University leads the rankings, producing Social Work graduates earning $76,343 while maintaining a 98th percentile mobility score. James Madison University follows at $69,954 with 93rd percentile mobility, proving that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes.
Virginia State University serves 71% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $45,543. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: George Mason University achieves 98th percentile mobility with just a 7.7% payment burden, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $76,343 | Mobility: 98th percentile
71% Pell students with $45,543 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 | James Madison UniversityPublic | $69,954 | $20,093 | Good | $37,285 | High | 93th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $60,509 | $25,000 | Manageable | $44,122 | High | 79th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $58,128 | $21,500 | Manageable | $23,585 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | Radford UniversityPublic | $53,739 | $24,000 | Manageable | $22,158 | High | 87th percentile mobility |
| #6 | $45,543 | $26,500 | Manageable | $22,181 | High | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | Liberty UniversityPrivate | $44,813 | $24,500 | Challenging | $16,398 | 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 →
