Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks University of Alaska Fairbanks #396 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median $67,252 four years after enrollment, placing University of Alaska Fairbanks in the 71.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. University of Alaska Fairbanks sits in the 77.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions, reflecting how graduates earn about $5,364 more than similar students at comparable institutions. University of Alaska Fairbanks's composite ranking reflects a combination of return on investment, mobility, and access outcomes working together for students in a distinctive Alaskan labor market. Graduates earn median earnings that place the university among the stronger-performing institutions in the Azimuth coverage set, with earnings beyond expectations reinforcing the long-run financial case for enrolling here.
Azimuth ranks University of Alaska Fairbanks #387 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions, in the 73.9 percentile. The current structured profile shows retention at 74.1% and a six-year graduation rate of 38.0%. Return on investment ranks #514, with graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $67,252. Graduates earn about $5,364 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 77.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 88.3 percentile; published cost of attendance is $22,407, and the middle-income net price is $11,323. Access sits in the 77.2 percentile, with 22.4% receiving Pell Grants and 39.9% first-generation.
University of Alaska Fairbanks' published cost of attendance is $22,407. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and aid availability: low-income families pay approximately $7,992, middle-income families pay around $11,323, and higher-income families pay approximately $17,512. Azimuth ranks University of Alaska Fairbanks #167 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. The university participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The gap between sticker price and net price varies by income level, with lower-income families seeing a more substantial reduction through aid than higher-income families — a pattern typical of public research universities with broad access missions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,291, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,888; 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 $67,252, median federal debt of $20,291 projects to a monthly payment of about $229 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
University of Alaska Fairbanks is a fit for students who want a public four-year option in AK and are weighing outcomes against cost. Azimuth ranks University of Alaska Fairbanks #387 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $67,252, placing University of Alaska Fairbanks in the 71.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,364 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 77.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions. Published cost of attendance is $22,407. After need-based aid, low-income families pay approximately $7,992, middle-income families pay around $11,323, higher-income families pay approximately $17,512. Students should weigh those current cost and earnings figures against the school's program mix before treating the fit as primarily an earnings, affordability, or access story.
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 University Of Alaska Fairbanks hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
University of Alaska Fairbanks' published cost of attendance is $22,407. Net price by income band reflects the institution's public-tuition structure and aid availability: low-income families pay approximately $7,992, middle-income families pay around $11,323, and higher-income families pay approximately $17,512.
Azimuth ranks University of Alaska Fairbanks #167 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.
The university participates in federal need-based aid programs, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans, alongside state and institutional aid. The gap between sticker price and net price varies by income level, with lower-income families seeing a more substantial reduction through aid than higher-income families — a pattern typical of public research universities with broad access missions.
Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $20,291, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $15,888; 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 $67,252, median federal debt of $20,291 projects to a monthly payment of about $229 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 University of Alaska Fairbanks earn median 4-year earnings of $67,252, placing University of Alaska Fairbanks in the 71.3 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn about $5,364 more than similar students at comparable institutions, placing the institution in the 77.2 percentile for earnings beyond expectations among nonprofit four-year institutions.
Azimuth ranks University of Alaska Fairbanks #514 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Program outcomes vary by major.
Business Administration, Management and Operations reports 53 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $70,539, ranked #156 nationally in its major. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other reports 36 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $59,348, ranked #39 nationally in its major.
Biology, General reports 35 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $41,862, ranked #360 nationally in its major. Psychology, General reports 33 graduates and median 4-year earnings of $43,764, ranked #312 nationally in its major.
Mechanical Engineering
26 graduates
Civil Engineering, General
16 graduates
Business Administration and Management, General
53 graduates
Corrections Administration
20 graduates
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other
36 graduates
University of Alaska Fairbanks's program mix is anchored in Business, with additional depth in natural resources, engineering, and health-related fields — a portfolio shaped by the university's identity as Alaska's flagship research institution serving a geographically distinct labor market. Business Administration is the largest program with 53 graduates, followed by Interdisciplinary Studies with 36 graduates and Biology, General with 35 graduates.
The mix reflects University of Alaska Fairbanks's role as a broad-access institution preparing students for careers across Alaska's public sector, resource industries, and health workforce, with Business representing 14% of graduates, Engineering accounting for 13%, and Education contributing 6%. The strongest earnings outcomes at University of Alaska Fairbanks are concentrated in technical and applied fields.
Azimuth ranks Mechanical Engineering #182 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 26 graduates earning $91,522. Azimuth ranks Business Administration #59 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 53 graduates earning $70,539, and Azimuth ranks Criminal Justice #84 for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 20 graduates earning $60,306.
These programs — described further in [how Azimuth evaluates programs](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) — combine solid cohort scale with earnings that reflect Alaska's demand for technically trained graduates in resource extraction, infrastructure, and applied sciences. The highest aggregate-return program is Business Administration, which combines meaningful enrollment with competitive four-year earnings, making it a key contributor to the institution's overall financial outcomes.
Several of the university's popular programs, including Homeland Security and Psychology, General, lead into fields where graduate-school continuation is common and four-year earnings figures undercount longer-term trajectory. Across 26 programs serving roughly 455 students annually, University of Alaska Fairbanks offers a focused portfolio aligned with Alaska's regional labor-market needs — a context explored further in the [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) framework.
