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Compare Auburn University vs University of South Alabama

Auburn, AL · Mobile, AL

Auburn UniversityUniversity of South Alabama
Cost
Price after aid (average)$24,323/yr$17,648/yr
Price after aid (family income under $30k)$16,681/yr$12,657/yr
Typical loan debt at graduation$21,000$24,929
Price after aid ($30k–$48k income)$17,627/yr$13,265/yr
Price after aid ($48k–$75k income)$20,558/yr$16,277/yr
Price after aid ($75k–$110k income)$25,808/yr$23,252/yr
Price after aid (income over $110k)$29,547/yr$25,322/yr
Typical loan payment after graduation$223/mo$264/mo
Room & board (on campus)$16,626/yr$11,366/yr
Room & board (off campus)$15,436/yr$11,456/yr
Borrowers who default0%0%
Books & supplies$1,200/yr$864/yr
Other living costs (on campus)$6,166/yr$5,517/yr
Sticker price (before aid)$34,919/yr$25,476/yr
Tuition (in-state)$12,890/yr$10,116/yr
Tuition (out-of-state)$34,922/yr$19,092/yr
Students with Pell Grants13%38%
Students taking federal loans26%47%
Getting in
Students who get accepted46%71%
SAT range (middle 50%)1260–1390970–1190
SAT average13451147
ACT range (middle 50%)26–3120–26
ACT sections (middle 50%)English 25–33 · Math 24–29English 19–26 · Math 17–25
Admissions data fromFall 2023Fall 2023
Applications received48,17812,593
Students accepted24,3148,247
Students who enrolled5,9351,920
Accepted students who enroll24%23%
Enrolled who sent SAT scores17%6%
Enrolled who sent ACT scores71%83%
High-school GPARequiredRequired
High-school transcriptRequiredRequired
EssayNot consideredNot considered
Recommendation lettersOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
Class rankOptional (considered if sent)Not considered
College-prep programRequiredNot considered
Demonstrated competenciesNot consideredNot considered
Work experienceNot consideredNot considered
English proficiency testRequiredRequired
Other admission testsNot consideredNot considered
Legacy consideredNot consideredNot considered
SAT/ACT policyOptional (considered if sent)Optional (considered if sent)
Graduation & earnings
Students who graduate82%53%
Freshmen who come back95%76%
Typical earnings 10 years in$65,337/yr$49,379/yr
Earnings range 10 years in$43,620–$95,597$30,000–$73,471
Finish within 8 years (anywhere)79%51%
White students graduating83%54%
Black students graduating67%48%
Hispanic students graduating77%45%
Asian students graduating82%57%
Typical earnings 6 years in$54,629/yr$41,307/yr
Earn more than a HS grad80%67%
Graduate on time61%37%
Pell students who graduate70%43%
First-gen students who finish69%44%
Low-income students who finish65%40%
Students who transfer out12%26%
Typical earnings 8 years in$61,406/yr$44,838/yr
Majors & programs
Top 3 programsBusiness, Management & Marketing 27% · Engineering 16% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 12%Health Professions 31% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 13% · Business, Management & Marketing 11%
Most popular programBusiness, Management & Marketing — 27% of degreesHealth Professions — 31% of degrees
2nd most popular programEngineering — 16% of degreesBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 13% of degrees
3rd most popular programBiological & Biomedical Sciences — 12% of degreesBusiness, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees
4th most popular programHealth Professions — 6% of degreesMulti/Interdisciplinary Studies — 7% of degrees
5th most popular programComputer & Information Sciences — 4% of degreesEngineering — 7% of degrees
Highest-paying major (1 year out)Business Administration, Management and Operations — $143,121/yrAllied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $117,532/yr
Degrees in STEM32%26%
Campus & students
Undergrad enrollment26,8168,879
Students per professor21 : 119 : 1
Graduate students6,2384,762
Average professor pay$12,324/mo$7,761/mo
Full-time professors87%65%
Fully onlineNoNo
Accredited bySouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on CollegesSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Median family income$72,031$36,199
SettingCity (small)City (midsize)
LocationAuburn, ALMobile, AL
RegionSoutheastSoutheast
Founded18561963
Public or privatePublicPublic
Main degree offeredBachelor's degreesBachelor's degrees
Carnegie classificationDoctoral Universities: Very High Research ActivityDoctoral Universities: High Research Activity
Main or branch campusMain campusMain campus
International students1.6%1.2%
Men49%38%
Women51%62%
White students83%60%
Black students4.1%23%
Hispanic or Latino students4.6%5.7%
Asian students2.9%3.8%
Two or more races3.3%5.1%
Other / not reported0.7%1.6%
Special typeNoneNone
First-generation students17%33%
Part-time students6.1%12%
Students age 25+3.1%12%
Spent on teaching per student$10,067/yr$11,135/yr
Endowment$1.2B$710.3M
Campus life
Campus data from20232023
On-campus housingYes — dorms on campusYes — dorms on campus
Beds in campus housing4,5983,405
Required to live on campusNoNo
Room charge (campus housing)$9,562/yr$4,480/yr
Meal plan charge$5,834/yr$4,350/yr
Meal plan offeredYesYes
Meals per weekVaries by weekVaries by week
Academic calendarSemesterSemester
Federal designationLand-grant institutionNone
Study abroadYesYes
Undergraduate researchYesNo
ROTCYes — Army, Navy, Air ForceYes — Army, Air Force
Accepts AP creditYesYes
Accepts dual-enrollment creditNoNo
Credit for life experienceNoYes
Online classesYesYes
Whole degrees onlineNoYes
Weekend & evening classesNoYes
Teacher certificationYesYes
Academic & career counselingYesYes
Job help while you studyYesYes
Job placement for graduatesYesYes
On-campus day careNoNo
Program for students with intellectual disabilitiesNoYes
Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) schoolYesYes
Credit for military trainingNoYes
Student veteran organizationYesYes
Tuition payment planYesYes
Guaranteed (locked) tuitionNoNo
Prepaid tuition planNoNo
Athletics
Athletics data from2024-252024-25
College sports levelNCAA Division I-FBSNCAA Division I-FBS
Football teamYesYes
Varsity teams1717
Student athletes555386
Athletic scholarships$18.8M$7.9M
Athletics budget$195.9M$32.6M
Athletics revenue$205.3M$32.6M
Recruiting spend$4.4M$821,007

Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.