# Best Public Universities for Social Mobility

> CollegeRanker Agent Insights — structured data for AI systems
> Updated: 2026-05-31 | Schools: 50 | Category: Social Mobility
> Source: https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-public-universities-mobility

## Methodology

4-pillar composite with Chetty mobility emphasis for public institutions

CollegeRanker uses a 4-pillar algorithm: Academic Quality (15-20%), Economic Outcomes (30%), Social Mobility (25-35%), Value & Affordability (20-25%). Social mobility data from Raj Chetty's Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (30M+ anonymized tax records). No subjective surveys.

## Rankings

| Rank | School | Location | Graduation | Earnings (10yr) | Net Price | Median Debt | Debt/Earnings |
|------|--------|----------|------------|-----------------|-----------|-------------|---------------|
| 1 | [CUNY Bernard M Baruch College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-bernard-m-baruch-college) | New York, NY | 72% | $75,971 | $3,033 | $11,512 | 0.15x |
| 2 | [CUNY Hunter College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-hunter-college) | New York, NY | 59% | $63,163 | $2,984 | $11,000 | 0.17x |
| 3 | [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus) | Atlanta, GA | 93% | $102,772 | $12,116 | $21,672 | 0.21x |
| 4 | [CUNY Queens College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-queens-college) | Queens, NY | 56% | $62,763 | $4,195 | $10,298 | 0.16x |
| 5 | [CUNY Brooklyn College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-brooklyn-college) | Brooklyn, NY | 55% | $60,752 | $3,103 | $11,000 | 0.18x |
| 6 | [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) | Chapel Hill, NC | 92% | $72,200 | $11,655 | $14,000 | 0.19x |
| 7 | [University of Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida) | Gainesville, FL | 91% | $71,588 | $6,541 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 8 | [CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-john-jay-college-of-criminal-justice) | New York, NY | 56% | $56,195 | $3,203 | $11,000 | 0.2x |
| 9 | [New Jersey Institute of Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/new-jersey-institute-of-technology) | Newark, NJ | 73% | $84,276 | $16,504 | $21,000 | 0.25x |
| 10 | [East Texas A&M University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/east-texas-am-university) | Commerce, TX | 44% | $50,296 | $11,841 | $20,500 | 0.41x |
| 11 | [CUNY Lehman College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-lehman-college) | Bronx, NY | 50% | $58,013 | $3,148 | $10,950 | 0.19x |
| 12 | [William & Mary](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/william-mary) | Williamsburg, VA | 90% | $73,490 | $19,096 | $18,500 | 0.25x |
| 13 | [University of Virginia's College at Wise](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-virginias-college-at-wise) | Wise, VA | 48% | $45,325 | $9,210 | $16,750 | 0.37x |
| 14 | [George Mason University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/george-mason-university) | Fairfax, VA | 69% | $76,343 | $17,915 | $19,500 | 0.26x |
| 15 | [CUNY York College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/cuny-york-college) | Jamaica, NY | 31% | $56,945 | $4,456 | $11,000 | 0.19x |
| 16 | [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville) | Edwardsville, IL | 56% | $56,346 | $14,889 | $20,500 | 0.36x |
| 17 | [San Jose State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-jose-state-university) | San Jose, CA | 67% | $78,988 | $13,760 | $15,000 | 0.19x |
| 18 | [Florida International University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-international-university) | Miami, FL | 74% | $60,249 | $9,288 | $16,500 | 0.27x |
| 19 | [Colorado School of Mines](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/colorado-school-of-mines) | Golden, CO | 81% | $97,335 | $28,690 | $23,000 | 0.24x |
| 20 | [Michigan Technological University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/michigan-technological-university) | Houghton, MI | 68% | $78,198 | $14,182 | $24,990 | 0.32x |
| 21 | [New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/new-mexico-institute-of-mining-and-technology) | Socorro, NM | 57% | $76,489 | $9,873 | $19,085 | 0.25x |
| 22 | [The University of Texas at Austin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-austin) | Austin, TX | 88% | $75,121 | $19,857 | $20,500 | 0.27x |
| 23 | [University of South Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-south-florida) | Tampa, FL | 76% | $57,743 | $9,812 | $17,988 | 0.31x |
| 24 | [The University of Texas at Arlington](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-arlington) | Arlington, TX | 55% | $63,199 | $13,951 | $17,527 | 0.28x |
| 25 | [University of Utah](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-utah) | Salt Lake City, UT | 64% | $67,170 | $16,200 | $19,000 | 0.28x |
| 26 | [University of Georgia](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-georgia) | Athens, GA | 89% | $68,726 | $13,936 | $18,500 | 0.27x |
| 27 | [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university) | Blacksburg, VA | 86% | $81,698 | $24,953 | $21,500 | 0.26x |
| 28 | [SUNY Maritime College](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-maritime-college) | Throggs Neck, NY | 70% | $95,951 | $22,367 | $23,250 | 0.24x |
| 29 | [State University of New York at Plattsburgh](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/state-university-of-new-york-at-plattsburgh) | Plattsburgh, NY | 59% | $56,403 | $17,156 | $21,196 | 0.38x |
| 30 | [Binghamton University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/binghamton-university) | Vestal, NY | 83% | $80,596 | $21,620 | $18,500 | 0.23x |
| 31 | [The University of Texas at Dallas](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-dallas) | Richardson, TX | 75% | $68,227 | $18,267 | $18,000 | 0.26x |
| 32 | [Missouri University of Science and Technology](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/missouri-university-of-science-and-technology) | Rolla, MO | 64% | $82,957 | $16,298 | $23,250 | 0.28x |
| 33 | [San Francisco State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-francisco-state-university) | San Francisco, CA | 50% | $68,077 | $12,278 | $15,371 | 0.23x |
| 34 | [Portland State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/portland-state-university) | Portland, OR | 53% | $57,906 | $9,552 | $20,500 | 0.35x |
| 35 | [University of North Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-north-florida) | Jacksonville, FL | 69% | $56,343 | $10,154 | $15,531 | 0.28x |
| 36 | [University of Central Florida](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-central-florida) | Orlando, FL | 77% | $58,308 | $10,411 | $18,190 | 0.31x |
| 37 | [Florida State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-state-university) | Tallahassee, FL | 84% | $61,675 | $11,297 | $18,000 | 0.29x |
| 38 | [Washington State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/washington-state-university) | Pullman, WA | 61% | $68,905 | $14,971 | $19,500 | 0.28x |
| 39 | [Fort Hays State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/fort-hays-state-university) | Hays, KS | 48% | $48,928 | $12,569 | $21,000 | 0.43x |
| 40 | [San Diego State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/san-diego-state-university) | San Diego, CA | 77% | $64,909 | $15,364 | $15,000 | 0.23x |
| 41 | [University of Connecticut](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-connecticut) | Storrs, CT | 84% | $73,997 | $25,097 | $21,500 | 0.29x |
| 42 | [Oakland University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/oakland-university) | Rochester Hills, MI | 57% | $58,612 | $9,120 | $22,750 | 0.39x |
| 43 | [The University of Texas at Tyler](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-tyler) | Tyler, TX | 51% | $57,053 | $13,323 | $17,137 | 0.3x |
| 44 | [Florida Atlantic University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/florida-atlantic-university) | Boca Raton, FL | 63% | $56,746 | $8,752 | $17,236 | 0.3x |
| 45 | [University of Florida-Online](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/university-of-florida-online) | Gainesville, FL | 81% | $71,588 | $4,815 | $15,000 | 0.21x |
| 46 | [The University of Texas Permian Basin](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-permian-basin) | Odessa, TX | 42% | $56,073 | $12,723 | $17,750 | 0.32x |
| 47 | [James Madison University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/james-madison-university) | Harrisonburg, VA | 80% | $69,954 | $23,322 | $20,093 | 0.29x |
| 48 | [SUNY College at Geneseo](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/suny-college-at-geneseo) | Geneseo, NY | 72% | $67,316 | $18,211 | $19,500 | 0.29x |
| 49 | [Ferris State University](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/ferris-state-university) | Big Rapids, MI | 47% | $54,735 | $8,624 | $21,000 | 0.38x |
| 50 | [The University of Texas at San Antonio](https://www.collegeranker.com/colleges/the-university-of-texas-at-san-antonio) | San Antonio, TX | 52% | $57,131 | $10,836 | $20,500 | 0.36x |

## Data Sources

- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
- Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Card (https://opportunityinsights.org/data)
- Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- NCES IPEDS

## Citation

CollegeRanker. "Best Public Universities for Social Mobility." CollegeRanker.com, 2026-05-31. https://www.collegeranker.com/rankings/best-public-universities-mobility

## License

This data summary is provided for informational purposes. Underlying data from federal sources (College Scorecard, IPEDS) is public domain. Opportunity Insights data is available under their data use agreement at https://opportunityinsights.org/data/.