12 Teacher Education colleges in California with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $65,238.
We started with Teacher Education programs scoring 60th percentile or above for mobility—schools that actually serve low-income students. Then we ranked by earnings. The result: 12 programs that prove accessibility and strong outcomes aren't mutually exclusive.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo leads the rankings, producing Teacher Education graduates earning $90,768 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. Across this list, average graduate earnings reach $65,238—demonstrating that schools serving low-income students can compete on outcomes, not just access.
San Francisco State University serves 41% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $68,077. Even better: graduates face just a 7.9% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' category for affordability. Access AND manageable debt create a powerful combination for mobility.
Earnings: $90,768 | Mobility: 95th percentile
66% Pell students with $59,211 earnings
7.9% payment burden | Excellent
19.3% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $90,768 | $18,500 | Excellent | $35,000 | Challenging | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | University Of The PacificPrivate | $78,445 | $19,500 | Excellent | $50,438 | Challenging | 70th percentile mobility |
| #3 | $68,077 | $15,371 | Excellent | $19,732 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | $64,909 | $15,000 | Excellent | $25,565 | Challenging | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #5 | $63,188 | $13,540 | Good | $12,700 | Manageable | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $62,951 | — | — | — | — | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $62,908 | $17,350 | Good | $18,031 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $61,504 | $26,063 | Challenging | $31,387 | High | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $61,244 | $14,505 | Good | $12,050 | Manageable | 98th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $59,211 | $13,000 | Excellent | $12,526 | Manageable | 100th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $57,162 | $13,807 | Good | $11,061 | Manageable | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | Pacific Oaks CollegePrivate | $52,485 | $29,105 | Manageable | $12,485 | Challenging | 78th 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 →
