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Tuscaloosa, AL · Mobile, AL
| The University of Alabama | University of South Alabama | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $22,420/yr | $17,648/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $19,169/yr | $12,657/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $22,750 | $24,929 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $19,884/yr | $13,265/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $22,258/yr | $16,277/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $25,658/yr | $23,252/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $26,729/yr | $25,322/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $241/mo | $264/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $15,016/yr | $11,366/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $15,428/yr | $11,456/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $700/yr | $864/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $6,028/yr | $5,517/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $33,382/yr | $25,476/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $12,180/yr | $10,116/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $34,172/yr | $19,092/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 18% | 38% |
| Students taking federal loans | 32% | 47% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 77% | 71% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1170–1400 | 970–1190 |
| SAT average | 1285 | 1147 |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 24–31 | 20–26 |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 23–33 · Math 21–29 | English 19–26 · Math 17–25 |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 58,418 | 12,593 |
| Students accepted | 44,295 | 8,247 |
| Students who enrolled | 8,279 | 1,920 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 19% | 23% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 18% | 6% |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 45% | 83% |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Recommendation letters | Not considered | Not considered |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Not considered |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 73% | 53% |
| Freshmen who come back | 89% | 76% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $59,221/yr | $49,379/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $39,848–$87,405 | $30,000–$73,471 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 72% | 51% |
| White students graduating | 76% | 54% |
| Black students graduating | 60% | 48% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 63% | 45% |
| Asian students graduating | 83% | 57% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $52,233/yr | $41,307/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 77% | 67% |
| Graduate on time | 57% | 37% |
| Pell students who graduate | 63% | 43% |
| First-gen students who finish | 57% | 44% |
| Low-income students who finish | 51% | 40% |
| Students who transfer out | 17% | 26% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $56,012/yr | $44,838/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 30% · Communication & Journalism 10% · Social Sciences 10% | Health Professions 31% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 13% · Business, Management & Marketing 11% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 30% of degrees | Health Professions — 31% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 10% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 13% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Social Sciences — 10% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 11% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Health Professions — 9% of degrees | Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Engineering — 8% of degrees | Engineering — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing — $94,911/yr | Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions — $117,532/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 16% | 26% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 33,227 | 8,879 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 19 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 6,457 | 4,762 |
| Average professor pay | $11,419/mo | $7,761/mo |
| Full-time professors | 79% | 65% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges | Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges |
| Median family income | $66,734 | $36,199 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Tuscaloosa, AL | Mobile, AL |
| Region | Southeast | Southeast |
| Founded | 1831 | 1963 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Men | 44% | 38% |
| Women | 56% | 62% |
| White students | 71% | 60% |
| Black students | 11% | 23% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 7.6% | 5.7% |
| Asian students | 1.5% | 3.8% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 5.1% |
| Other / not reported | 4% | 1.6% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 23% | 33% |
| Part-time students | 6.8% | 12% |
| Students age 25+ | 6% | 12% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $9,728/yr | $11,135/yr |
| Endowment | $1.6B | $710.3M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 9,294 | 3,405 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | $6,250/yr | $4,480/yr |
| Meal plan charge | $4,616/yr | $4,350/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | No data reported | Varies by week |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | None |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | No |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | Yes |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | Yes | Yes |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | No |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | Yes | Yes |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | No | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 17 | 17 |
| Student athletes | 668 | 386 |
| Athletic scholarships | $17.2M | $7.9M |
| Athletics budget | $229.9M | $32.6M |
| Athletics revenue | $244.6M | $32.6M |
| Recruiting spend | $6.2M | $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 and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.