Special Report

Colleges With the Most Upward Mobility

Samuel Stebbins

Published: December 5, 2023 12:24 pm

For each new generation of Americans, upward financial mobility appears to be increasingly elusive. According to a study from Stanford University, Americans born in 1945 had a 90% likelihood of out-earning their parents. However, due to several macroeconomic factors, those chances have fallen considerably in the decades since. Now, the millennial generation may be the first to earn less in aggregate than their parents did. 

While the earning potential of subsequent generations has been declining since the rise of the baby boomers, for individuals, there are still paths to upward mobility – and one of them is a college education. 

According to 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical college graduate working full time earns $74,464 a year, over $30,000 more than the typical worker with only a high school diploma. College graduates are also nearly half as likely to be unemployed as adults with no more than a high school education. 

Still, a college education is a big investment, both of time and money, and a four-year degree itself is no guarantee of a well-paying career. Still, some colleges and universities are demonstrably better at improving the financial standing of their students than others. (Here is a look at the 50 most expensive colleges in America.)

Using data from the U.S. Department of Education, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 50 colleges that offer students the greatest likelihood of upward mobility. We ranked all nonprofit bachelor’s degree-granting institutions with at least 2,500 undergraduates on the ratio of the median earnings of working alumni 10 years after matriculation to the median family income of the undergraduate student body. 

For every school on this list, the typical graduate earns at least twice as much as the typical family of an enrolled undergraduate 10 years after matriculation.

Most of the schools on this list are public institutions, which are typically far less expensive and more affordable for lower income families than private colleges and universities. In several of these schools, most students are from families that earn less than $20,000 a year. 

Meanwhile, the 13 private schools on this list include some of the most selective and elite colleges and universities in the country, such as Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, and MIT. Graduates of these schools typically earn over $95,000 10 years after enrolling, compared to median family incomes among the current student body of below $45,000 in every case. (Here is a look at the college majors most likely to earn six figures.)

50. California State University – Fullerton (Fullerton, CA)

Cal State Fullerton Student Recreation Center (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by Spatms

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,585 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $28,124
• Acceptance rate: 59.4%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 35,502

49. Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, IL)

Illinois Institute of Technolo... (CC BY 2.0) by Michael Senchuk

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,793 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $39,719
• Acceptance rate: 66.1%
• Most popular degree: Engineering
• Undergraduate population: 2,889

48. Portland State University (Portland, OR)

Source: cosmonaut / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,567 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,986
• Acceptance rate: 98.4%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 15,674

47. Saint Leo University (Saint Leo, FL)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,428 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,361
• Acceptance rate: 70.7%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 6,456

46. Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University – Daytona Beach (Daytona Beach, FL)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,012 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $38,662
• Acceptance rate: 72.3%
• Most popular degree: Transportation And Materials Moving
• Undergraduate population: 6,899

45. Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University – Prescott (Prescott, AZ)

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott Aerials Summer 2017.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Connor McShane

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,012 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $38,662
• Acceptance rate: 73.8%
• Most popular degree: Engineering
• Undergraduate population: 3,015

44. University of Houston – Downtown (Houston, TX)

University of Houston, Downtow... (CC BY 2.0) by Patrick Feller

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,929 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $24,910
• Acceptance rate: 94.8%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 13,515

43. California State University – San Bernardino (San Bernardino, CA)

University Ave Entrance, CSUSB (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED) by Amerique

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,258 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,849
• Acceptance rate: 91.0%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 16,595

42. Metropolitan State University (Saint Paul, MN)

Metropolitan State University New Main (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by McGhiever

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,744 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $28,315
• Acceptance rate: 66.6%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 5,689

41. National University (San Diego, CA)

OIA NU Header 2017 (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by JoahHeinz

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $66,998 (2.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $31,188
• Acceptance rate: 54.5%
• Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
• Undergraduate population: 7,160

40. New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ)

Source: helen89 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $50,417 (2.2 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $23,397
• Acceptance rate: 90.7%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 5,146

39. Yale University (New Haven, CT)

Source: f11photo / iStock via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $95,961 (2.2 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $44,004
• Acceptance rate: 5.3%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 6,535

38. New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, NJ)

20210628 79 Stevens Institute ... (CC BY 2.0) by David Wilson

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $84,495 (2.2 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $38,563
• Acceptance rate: 69.1%
• Most popular degree: Engineering
• Undergraduate population: 8,377

37. University of California – Davis (Davis, CA)

UC Davis - University of Calif... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Tony Webster

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $74,305 (2.2 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $33,784
• Acceptance rate: 48.8%
• Most popular degree: Biological And Biomedical Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 31,637

36. University of California – Irvine (Irvine, CA)

University of California, Irvi... (CC BY 2.0) by Orange County Archives

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $76,593 (2.2 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $34,735
• Acceptance rate: 28.8%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 29,438

35. University of Houston – Clear Lake (Houston, TX)

Bayou Building (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED) by RJN2

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $55,946 (2.2 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,351
• Acceptance rate: 91.2%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 6,747

34. California State University – Sacramento (Sacramento, CA)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $61,267 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $27,217
• Acceptance rate: 93.7%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 29,370

33. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (Edinburg, TX)

Engineering and Computer Science Building (CC BY 3.0 DEED) by Alex Garrido

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,698 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $21,058
• Acceptance rate: 93.9%
• Most popular degree: Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
• Undergraduate population: 26,402

32. CUNY Medgar Evers College (Brooklyn, NY)

Medgar Evers College building A (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED) by Tchassis

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $42,968 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $18,815
• Acceptance rate: 85.9%
• Most popular degree: Physical Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 3,824

31. University of California – San Diego (La Jolla, CA)

Source: AutumnSkyPhotography / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $82,255 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $35,914
• Acceptance rate: 34.2%
• Most popular degree: Biological And Biomedical Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 33,339

30. Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago, IL)

Source: Joe Hendrickson / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $50,312 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $21,900
• Acceptance rate: 62.1%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 4,547

29. University of Michigan – Dearborn (Dearborn, MI)

Source: TennesseePhotographer / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,324 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $25,334
• Acceptance rate: 68.8%
• Most popular degree: Engineering
• Undergraduate population: 6,193

28. California State University – Long Beach (Long Beach, CA)

Walter Pyramid (CC BY-SA 2.5 DEED) by Summum

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $60,973 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $26,465
• Acceptance rate: 46.9%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 33,765

27. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)

Source: diegograndi / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $124,213 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $53,870
• Acceptance rate: 4.1%
• Most popular degree: Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 4,629

26. California State Polytechnic University – Pomona (Pomona, CA)

Cal Poly Library Entrance (CC BY-SA 3.0 DEED) by Victorrocha

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $67,406 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $29,032
• Acceptance rate: 60.6%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 26,802

25. San Francisco State University (San Francisco, CA)

San Francisco State University (CC BY 2.0) by Michael Ocampo

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $64,797 (2.3 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $27,896
• Acceptance rate: 92.9%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 22,563

24. CUNY New York City College of Technology (Brooklyn, NY)

City Tech - Logo (CC BY 2.0) by ajay_suresh

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $47,242 (2.4 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,013
• Acceptance rate: 82.5%
• Most popular degree: Engineering Technologies And Engineering-Related Fields
• Undergraduate population: 13,490

23. Stanford University (Stanford, CA)

Source: JasonDoiy / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $106,987 (2.4 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $44,842
• Acceptance rate: 4.0%
• Most popular degree: Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 7,645

22. Florida International University (Miami, FL)

Source: robyvannucci / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $57,946 (2.4 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $23,924
• Acceptance rate: 64.0%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 39,936

21. University of California – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

UCLA Royce Hall (CC BY 2.0 DEED) by Thank You (24 Millions ) views

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $79,826 (2.4 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $32,614
• Acceptance rate: 10.8%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 32,122

20. MCPHS University (Boston, MA)

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Living Learning Center (CC BY 3.0 DEED) by DJRazma

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $124,126 (2.5 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $50,594
• Acceptance rate: 97.7%
• Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
• Undergraduate population: 3,664

19. California State University – Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)

CSULAStudentUnionBLDG (CC BY 3.0 DEED) by Justefrain

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,219 (2.5 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,032
• Acceptance rate: 90.5%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 23,506

18. California State University – Northridge (Northridge, CA)

Chaparral Hall (CC BY 2.0) by Vicente A.

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $56,375 (2.5 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,839
• Acceptance rate: 88.1%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 34,436

17. San Jose State University (San Jose, CA)

Source: Sundry Photography / iStock via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $72,635 (2.5 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $29,408
• Acceptance rate: 84.4%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 28,190

16. California State University – Dominguez Hills (Carson, CA)

Welch-hall-new (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by Wiki-bulum

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $49,934 (2.5 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,044
• Acceptance rate: 89.6%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 15,214

15. Governors State University (University Park, IL)

Old Plank Road Trail above LaGrange Road (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED) by AlphaBeta135

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,665 (2.5 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,792
• Acceptance rate: 52.0%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 2,698

14. California State University – East Bay (Hayward, CA)

Csueb view (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Jennifer Williams

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $64,188 (2.6 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $24,527
• Acceptance rate: 82.4%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 12,047

13. CUNY Hunter College (New York, NY)

Hunter College at dusk (CC BY 2.0) by Matthew Rutledge

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,822 (2.6 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $22,326
• Acceptance rate: 45.9%
• Most popular degree: Psychology
• Undergraduate population: 17,293

12. CUNY York College (Jamaica, NY)

York College (CC BY 4.0 DEED) by MegsCommons

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,325 (2.7 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $19,735
• Acceptance rate: 67.0%
• Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
• Undergraduate population: 5,595

11. CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice (New York, NY)

John Jay College of Criminal J... (CC BY 2.0) by ajay_suresh

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $54,207 (2.8 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $19,475
• Acceptance rate: 44.6%
• Most popular degree: Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting And Related Protective Services
• Undergraduate population: 12,834

10. CUNY Queens College (Queens, NY)

The Queens College (CC BY 2.0) by Muhammad Ghouri

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,348 (2.8 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,800
• Acceptance rate: 60.8%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 14,859

9. University of California – Berkeley (Berkeley, CA)

Source: lucentius / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $88,046 (2.8 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $31,227
• Acceptance rate: 14.4%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 31,811

8. University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA)

Source: peterspiro / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $112,761 (2.8 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $39,832
• Acceptance rate: 5.9%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 10,644

7. Harvard University (Cambridge, MA)

Source: jorgeantonio / iStock via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $95,114 (2.9 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $33,066
• Acceptance rate: 4.0%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 7,938

6. CUNY Brooklyn College (Brooklyn, NY)

Student Center (CC BY 2.0) by Steven Miller

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $57,665 (2.9 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $19,957
• Acceptance rate: 51.4%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 12,567

5. CUNY City College (New York, NY)

City College of New York - Gro... (CC BY 2.0) by ajay_suresh

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $58,052 (2.9 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,074
• Acceptance rate: 64.1%
• Most popular degree: Engineering
• Undergraduate population: 11,861

4. CUNY Lehman College (Bronx, NY)

Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $52,882 (3.0 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $17,797
• Acceptance rate: 57.9%
• Most popular degree: Health Professions And Related Programs
• Undergraduate population: 11,609

3. Princeton University (Princeton, NJ)

Source: helen89 / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $110,433 (3.0 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $37,036
• Acceptance rate: 4.4%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 5,236

2. Columbia University in the City of New York (New York, NY)

Source: peterspiro / iStock via Getty Images

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $97,540 (3.1 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $31,311
• Acceptance rate: 4.1%
• Most popular degree: Social Sciences
• Undergraduate population: 8,832

1. CUNY Bernard M Baruch College (New York, NY)

Baruch College - Newman Vertic... (CC BY 2.0) by ajay_suresh

• Median earnings 10 years after entry: $71,078 (3.4 times family income)
• Median family earnings among enrolled students: $20,825
• Acceptance rate: 50.6%
• Most popular degree: Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
• Undergraduate population: 15,483

Methodology

To determine the colleges with the most upward mobility, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed College Scorecard data on family income and earnings after entry from the U.S. Department of Education. Colleges and universities were ranked based on the ratio of the median earnings for working alumni 10 years after entry (typically freshman year) to the median family income of undergraduate students. 

Only public and private nonprofit colleges and universities that are predominantly bachelor’s degree-granting with at least 2,500 undergraduate students were considered. 

Data on median earnings 10 years after entry is for students who entered college in the 2008-09 or 2009-10 school years and was collected in 2019 and 2020. Data on median family income of undergraduate students was collected in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years. Data on acceptance rates and size of the undergraduate population are for Fall 2021, while data on percentage of degrees awarded by field are for the 2020-21 academic year.