97 Teacher Education colleges in the South with strong social mobility outcomes. Average earnings: $53,391.
Top Teacher Education graduates on this list earn over $91,565—and these schools actually serve the students who need them most. With mobility scores at the 60th percentile or above, these 97 programs deliver both access and results.
Vanderbilt University leads the rankings, producing Teacher Education graduates earning $91,565 while maintaining an 86th percentile mobility score. University of Maryland-College Park follows at $82,860 with an exceptional 96th percentile mobility rating, proving schools can excel at both access and outcomes.
University of Florida serves 22% Pell Grant recipients—students from families earning under $60,000—while still producing graduates earning $71,588. The best mobility schools deliver a double win: University of Maryland-College Park achieves 96th percentile mobility with just a 7.7% payment burden, landing in the 'Excellent' affordability category.
Earnings: $91,565 | Mobility: 86th percentile
22% Pell students with $71,588 earnings
7.7% payment burden | Excellent
19.3% family burden | Manageable
| Rank | School | Graduate Earnings | Student Debt | Student GPS | Parent Debt | Parent GPS | Mobility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Vanderbilt UniversityPrivate | $91,565 | $14,000 | Good | $30,844 | High | 86th percentile mobility |
| #2 | $82,860 | $19,000 | Excellent | $35,200 | Challenging | 96th percentile mobility | |
| #3 | Loyola University MarylandPrivate | $82,652 | $27,000 | Manageable | $50,344 | High | 73th percentile mobility |
| #4 | University Of DelawarePublic | $72,950 | $24,572 | Good | $43,000 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #5 | $72,200 | $14,000 | Good | $25,072 | High | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #6 | University Of FloridaPublic | $71,588 | $15,000 | Good | $18,837 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #7 | Clemson UniversityPublic | $71,513 | $21,500 | Manageable | $35,463 | High | 90th percentile mobility |
| #8 | $68,758 | $20,121 | Good | $23,000 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility | |
| #9 | University Of GeorgiaPublic | $68,726 | $18,500 | Good | $20,855 | Challenging | 95th percentile mobility |
| #10 | Texas Christian UniversityPrivate | $68,424 | $21,500 | Good | $54,925 | High | 78th percentile mobility |
| #11 | Auburn UniversityPublic | $65,337 | $21,000 | Manageable | $43,605 | High | 89th percentile mobility |
| #12 | Towson UniversityPublic | $64,390 | $18,718 | Good | $28,489 | High | 95th percentile mobility |
| #13 | $63,126 | $20,654 | Good | $31,890 | High | 93th percentile mobility | |
| #14 | $62,177 | $21,500 | Challenging | $31,393 | High | 94th percentile mobility | |
| #15 | $61,767 | $20,705 | Manageable | $20,297 | High | 73th percentile mobility | |
| #16 | Florida State UniversityPublic | $61,675 | $18,000 | Good | $17,000 | Challenging | 97th percentile mobility |
| #17 | Salisbury UniversityPublic | $61,515 | $21,000 | Good | $33,815 | High | 84th percentile mobility |
| #18 | $61,251 | $20,500 | Manageable | $25,645 | High | 97th percentile mobility | |
| #19 | $60,249 | $16,500 | Manageable | $13,610 | Manageable | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #20 | Presbyterian CollegePrivate | $60,194 | $26,000 | High | $26,491 | High | 77th percentile mobility |
| #21 | $59,221 | $22,750 | Manageable | $48,666 | High | 92th percentile mobility | |
| #22 | Nova Southeastern UniversityPrivate | $59,209 | $24,250 | Manageable | $21,738 | High | 77th percentile mobility |
| #23 | University Of KentuckyPublic | $59,025 | $22,500 | Manageable | $30,006 | High | 92th percentile mobility |
| #24 | $58,308 | $18,190 | Good | $16,036 | Challenging | 99th percentile mobility | |
| #25 | University Of ArkansasPublic | $58,191 | $21,500 | Manageable | $28,086 | High | 89th 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 →
