College Trends

Public universities in Alabama

The College Scorecard lists 14 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Alabama, all compared on this page. Together they enroll 129,514 undergraduate degree-seeking students. The median average net price is $17,111 a year, higher than the $14,226 median for public universities nationwide. Former students' median earnings 10 years after starting college are $51,155 at the median institution, lower than the $58,635 median for public universities nationwide. The median graduation rate is 54.6%.

Open in the dashboardSource: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Schools
14
UndergraduatesiUndergraduate degree-seeking enrollment.
129,514
Median net priceiAverage yearly cost for full-time, first-time undergraduates who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. The figure here is the median across schools.
$17,111
U.S.: $14,226
Median earnings, 10 yrsiMedian earnings of former students who received federal aid, 10 years after they started college, among those working and not enrolled. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$51,155
U.S.: $58,635
Median debtiMedian federal student-loan balance of graduates. Excludes Parent PLUS and private loans. The figure here is the median across institutions (branch campuses count once).
$21,884
U.S.: $19,500
Median grad rateiShare of full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time (6 years for a 4-year degree, 3 years for a 2-year degree). The figure here is the median across schools.
54.6%
U.S.: 51.6%

Compare all public universities in Alabama on one chart

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Each dot is one school. Dashed lines mark the median for Alabama. Showing 13 of 14 public universities in Alabama; schools missing either value are left out.

All 14 public universities in Alabama

The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa
33,227$20,202$12,484$35,342$66,081$21,50073.7%89.5%76.6%
Auburn University
Auburn
26,816$25,424$13,318$36,022$73,273$19,50082.1%94.8%45.9%
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham
11,635$15,630$9,812$23,684$59,631$21,25066.1%80.1%88.2%
Troy University
Troy
9,805$13,943$10,704$20,880$49,010$25,00050.3%71.2%96.0%
University of South Alabama
Mobile
8,879$16,801$10,476$19,452$53,069$22,00054.6%75.7%71.0%
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville
7,036$17,111$13,224$23,814$51,004$21,76747.5%64.6%77.7%
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville
6,591$22,758$12,458$27,148$72,098$20,55062.5%84.3%68.6%
Alabama A & M University
Normal
6,124$18,255$10,558$19,318$41,266$27,20427.7%69.9%58.0%
University of North Alabama
Florence
5,811$17,850$12,480$22,680$50,557$19,93355.6%79.7%87.3%
Alabama State University
Montgomery
3,477$9,775$11,248$19,576$40,585$28,19730.7%69.8%97.5%
University of West Alabama
Livingston
2,974$11,531$10,960$20,710$47,856$23,25034.9%64.9%42.6%
Auburn University at Montgomery
Montgomery
2,542$13,789$10,339$21,643$51,305$25,09434.9%67.6%91.6%
Athens State University
Athens
2,446n/an/an/a$54,648$17,322n/an/an/a
University of Montevallo
Montevallo
2,151$18,760$14,416$27,886$46,010$22,50055.6%72.8%53.8%
Showing 14 of 14. Starts sorted by undergraduate enrollment; select a column to sort.

Quick facts: public universities in Alabama

How many public universities are in Alabama?
The College Scorecard lists 14 public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher in Alabama.
What do public universities in Alabama cost?
Across the 13 schools that report it, the median average net price is $17,111 a year. Net price is what full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid pay after grants and scholarships. Reported net prices range from $9,775 at Alabama State University to $25,424 at Auburn University.
Which public universities in Alabama have the lowest average net price?
By reported average net price: Alabama State University ($9,775), University of West Alabama ($11,531), Auburn University at Montgomery ($13,789), Troy University ($13,943), and University of Alabama at Birmingham ($15,630).
How much is in-state and out-of-state tuition at public universities in Alabama?
The median published in-state tuition is $11,248 a year, and the median out-of-state tuition is $22,680. Many students pay less than published tuition after aid.
How much do former students of public universities in Alabama earn?
At the median institution, former students who received federal aid earn $51,155 10 years after starting college (14 institutions reporting; branch campuses share one figure and count once). The highest reported medians are at Auburn University ($73,273), University of Alabama in Huntsville ($72,098), and The University of Alabama ($66,081).
What is the graduation rate at public universities in Alabama?
The median graduation rate is 54.6%, across 13 schools reporting. It counts full-time, first-time students who finished within 150% of normal time.
How much student debt do graduates of public universities in Alabama have?
The median institution's graduates leave with $21,884 in federal student loans (the median balance). Parent PLUS and private loans are not included.

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Other college types in Alabama

Public universities in other states

How these numbers work

This page includes public colleges that mostly award bachelor's degrees or higher, as reported in the College Scorecard. Summary figures are medians across schools: each school counts once, whatever its size, and schools that don't report a measure are left out of that measure. The Scorecard reports earnings and debt for a whole institution, so branch campuses share one figure; for those two measures each institution counts once. Most recent data year: cost 2025, graduation and retention 2025, earnings 2022, debt 2024. More on the data.