13 Teacher Education colleges in North Carolina with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $51,855.
Top Teacher Education graduates on this list earn over $72,200—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 13 programs deliver both access and results.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill leads the rankings, producing Teacher Education graduates earning $72,200 while maintaining a 95th percentile mobility score. North Carolina State follows at $68,758, also ranking in the 95th percentile for mobility—proving schools serving low-income students compete on outcomes.
The best mobility schools deliver a double win: they serve low-income students AND leave them with manageable debt. UNC Chapel Hill exemplifies this—95th percentile for mobility with just a 9.2% payment burden, landing in the 'Good' affordability category, meaning graduates keep most of their earnings.
Earnings: $72,200 | Mobility: 95th percentile
62% Pell students with $45,344 earnings
9.2% payment burden | Good - payment 8-12% of discretionary
27.2% family burden | High burden - payment over 25% of discretionary
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Excellent | $25,072 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #2 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Good | $23,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | $57,289 | $21,500 | Good | $19,809 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #4 | East Carolina UniversityPublic | $55,146 | $22,750 | Manageable | $19,710 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $54,967 | $19,500 | Good | $22,737 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | $51,836 | $20,231 | Good | $21,919 | Challenging | 91th percentile mobility | |
| #7 | $49,458 | $21,868 | Manageable | $18,241 | Challenging | 86th percentile mobility | |
| #8 | $48,160 | $22,858 | Manageable | $14,638 | Challenging | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | $45,344 | $25,000 | Good | $12,030 | Challenging | 84th percentile mobility | |
| #10 | $44,440 | $27,000 | Good | $20,004 | Manageable | 90th percentile mobility | |
| #11 | $43,407 | $25,000 | Manageable | $10,984 | Challenging | 76th percentile mobility | |
| #12 | $42,968 | $28,250 | Manageable | $19,245 | Challenging | 87th percentile mobility | |
| #13 | $40,144 | $22,987 | Good | $8,791 | Manageable | 80th 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 →
