Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks The University of Alabama #237 for overall value among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $70,439 four years after enrollment, placing the university in the 73.0 percentile for median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Accounting #330 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions — a program-level anchor that reflects the university's concentration in business and applied professional fields. The University of Alabama's composite ranking reflects balance across return, access, and affordability pillars. Graduates earn median $70,439 four years after enrollment — a figure that places the university in the 73.0 percentile for median earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks The University of Alabama #237 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A public university in Tuscaloosa, AL, University of Alabama enrolls roughly 33,227 undergraduates. Retention stands at 89.5% and the six-year graduation rate is 73.4%, reflecting strong degree completion relative to many peer institutions. Where The University of Alabama performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks The University of Alabama #330 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median earnings four years after enrollment of $70,439, and earn at roughly the same level as similar students at comparable institutions, placing The University of Alabama in the 61.5 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Business is the dominant program family, anchoring a degree portfolio that channels graduates into career tracks with solid early earnings. The composite is shaped by a more moderate access profile. The University of Alabama admits about 76.6% of applicants, enrolls 18.4% Pell Grant recipients, and serves 22.6% first-generation students — figures that sit in the 70.1 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Mobility sits in the 91.1 percentile for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions, and affordability registers in the 30.8 percentile for affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting tuition and aid dynamics typical of a large flagship-scale public university.
The University of Alabama's published cost of attendance is $33,382, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $19,169 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $22,258, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,729. Azimuth ranks The University of Alabama #987 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Need-based aid covers a meaningful share of costs for qualifying students, with the gap between sticker price and net price widening at lower income levels. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA, and University of Alabama participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs. Students and families weighing the full cost picture should review how aid packages are structured before comparing the published cost of attendance to what they would actually pay — the net price illusion is a common source of confusion in college cost comparisons. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,750, compared with a peer median of $19,976; families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $48,666, and private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $70,439, median federal debt of $22,750 projects to a monthly payment of about $257 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Azimuth ranks The University of Alabama #237 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $70,439, placing The University of Alabama in the 73.0 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks The University of Alabama #330 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. ---
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
Detailed metrics, charts, and full data breakdown
Financial GPS Tool
Personalized cost and earnings calculator
This is the The University Of Alabama hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston delivers some of the strongest graduate earnings in the Azimuth coverage set, reflecting the high-demand nature of health sciences training and the institution's deep ties to one of the country's largest medical labor markets. Its return on investment ranking and median earnings position confirm that graduates enter careers with substantial and immediate earning power — outcomes that reflect the focused, career-aligned nature of health professions education.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rowan University Similar quality tier (#7527 ranked) | NJ | 78% | $59,988 | #7527 | Compare |
University Of Nevada-Reno Similar quality tier (#7012 ranked) | NV | 74% | $60,614 | #7012 | Compare |
University Of Arkansas Similar quality tier (#7011 ranked) | AR | 74% | $58,191 | #7011 | Compare |
University Of Cincinnati-Main Campus Similar quality tier (#8569 ranked) | OH | 85% | $54,810 | #8569 | Compare |
University Of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Similar quality tier (#5471 ranked) | WI | 91% | $54,990 | #5471 | Compare |
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
The University of Alabama's published cost of attendance is $33,382, but need-based aid reshapes that figure meaningfully across income levels. Low-income families pay approximately $19,169 per year in net price, middle-income families see annual costs around $22,258, and higher-income families pay approximately $26,729.
Azimuth ranks The University of Alabama #987 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Need-based aid covers a meaningful share of costs for qualifying students, with the gap between sticker price and net price widening at lower income levels. Families applying for aid use the FAFSA, and University of Alabama participates in federal, state, and institutional aid programs.
Students and families weighing the full cost picture should review how aid packages are structured before comparing the published cost of attendance to what they would actually pay — the [net price illusion](/analysis/is-college-worth-it-part-1-the-net-price-illusion/) is a common source of confusion in college cost comparisons. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $22,750, compared with a peer median of $19,976; families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $48,666, and private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $70,439, median federal debt of $22,750 projects to a monthly payment of about $257 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of the University of Alabama earn median earnings of $49,400 four years after enrollment, placing The University of Alabama in the 70th percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. That figure sits below the $51,000 median at comparable institutions (same control and size band).
Graduates earn $1,500 more than expected, placing the institution in the 65th percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Those figures still represent returns relative to Alabama's no-degree-equivalent earnings baseline of $31,000, the state median earnings of working adults aged 25–34 with only a high school credential.
While institution-level earnings track Alabama's regional labor market, specific programs deliver stronger outcomes. Azimuth ranks Nursing nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning median earnings of $69,200 four years after enrollment — 1.1x the national benchmark for the field.
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services is the dominant program family, accounting for 30% of degrees, followed by Engineering at 10% and Health Professions and Related Programs at 9%. Among the largest programs, Registered Nursing, Nursing, Nursing Research and The Clinical Nursing program graduates 400 students annually with median earnings of $69,200, and Azimuth ranks it 50th nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The Accounting program graduates 300 students with median earnings of $51,000, while The Mechanical Engineering program graduates 200 students earning $65,700 four years after enrollment.
Computer and Information Sciences, General
95 graduates
Management Information Systems and Services
104 graduates
Chemical Engineering
159 graduates
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering
79 graduates
Mechanical Engineering
300 graduates
The University of Alabama's program mix is anchored in Business, which accounts for 29% of degree output — a concentration that shapes the institution's overall earnings profile. Engineering represents 11% of graduates and Social Sciences accounts for 10%, rounding out a portfolio tilted toward applied professional fields.
Across 67 programs serving roughly 7,333 students annually, 45 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold. Finance combines large cohort scale with strong earnings, making it the program that contributes most to the institution's aggregate return.
Among the largest programs in the Azimuth coverage set, Digital Marketing program graduates 581 students annually with median earnings of $77,451 four years after enrollment, and Azimuth ranks it #48 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The Finance program graduates 540 students with median earnings of $85,020, while The Nursing program graduates 420 students with median earnings of $85,532.
The highest four-year earnings belong to Mechanical Engineering, where graduates earn $95,079 — Azimuth ranks it #51 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Accounting follows at $87,621, and Azimuth ranks Nursing #270 nationally for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with graduates earning $85,532.
The earnings pattern reflects The University of Alabama's strength in applied business and professional fields that feed directly into the workforce, particularly accounting, finance, and nursing — high-mobility pathways where four-year earnings capture real labor-market outcomes. Programs like Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication and Mechanical Engineering, with median earnings of $68,227 and $95,079 respectively, represent fields where a meaningful share of graduates continue to graduate or professional school.
The [supply-demand map for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how these program families align with national hiring demand, and the [program-ranking methodology](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) explains how Azimuth evaluates programs across cohort scale, earnings, and benchmark performance.
