Alabama State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Montgomery, Alabama. It enrolls 3,477 students (a mid-sized student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (4-Year Selective), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.
Fair
46/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes12
Value10
Affordability73
Selectivity4
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
Alabama State University admits 97.6% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.
Acceptance Rate
97.6%
Open
SAT Range (25th–75th)
749 – 967
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
15 – 20
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Alabama State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Stable ↓
1.3 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $20,435 a year on average, it sits in line with what public colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$11,248
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$19,576
Room & Board (on-campus)
$7,816
Room & Board (off-campus)
$7,816
Books & Supplies
$1,600
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,392
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,130
Total Cost of Attendance
$23,586
Application fee: $30 (one-time, due at submission)
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$19,711
$30,001 – $48,000
$21,682
$48,001 – $75,000
$21,508
$75,001 – $110,000
$21,608
Over $110,000
$19,031
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$3,50010%percentile
$5,78425%percentile
$31,000Medianpercentile
$32,26375%percentile
$45,00090%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,236
↓ $12,764
No Pell $12,000
↓ $19,000
Dependent students $17,000
↓ $14,000
Independent students $21,500
↓ $9,500
Female students $18,750
↓ $12,250
Male students $14,573
↓ $16,427
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $11,000, less than completers ($31,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
32% of students who start here finish within six years, and 65% come back after first year. Fewer than half finish in six years. Ask what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.
6-Year Graduation Rate
32%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
65%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
Lower than typical completion. Worth asking the school how they support students who fall behind.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $34,502 a year, below the national median. Weigh that against the cost above before taking on debt here. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$34,502
Earning > $25K
57%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Gender
Female graduates
$28,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$33,000
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$29,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$32,500
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$34,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
24.7 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Concerning. Only 49% of graduates are actively reducing principal even seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Who you would actually be sitting next to: 3,477 students, a mid-sized community. Worth knowing: 34% are the first in their family to go to college.
Total Enrolled
3,477
Part-Time
7%
First-Generation
34%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
Black 86.3%2,999
International 2.5%87
White 1.8%62
Hispanic 1.4%50
Other 1.4%47
Asian 0.2%7
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Alabama State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Alabama State University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
45 distinct programs across
18 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.
Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$12,370
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$119M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$72,136
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
203 instructional faculty across 4 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
59
29%
$88,406
Associate Professors
53
26%
$75,223
Assistant Professors
59
29%
$66,538
Instructors
32
16%
$49,646
Pros & Cons of Alabama State University
No college is right for everyone. Here is where Alabama State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.
Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
First-year retention is below typical
Below-average post-graduation earnings
Higher than typical student debt at graduation
Most students take on federal loans
Best for:
Based on the data, Alabama State University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Alabama State University
The questions families ask most about Alabama State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.
Is Alabama State University hard to get into?
Not especially. Alabama State University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 97.6%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Alabama State University?
97.6% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What SAT score do you need for Alabama State University?
Aim for 967 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 749 and 967 (Reading plus Math), so anything above the top of that range makes you competitive and anything below the bottom means the rest of your application has to carry more weight. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What ACT score do you need for Alabama State University?
Aim for 20 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 15 and 20 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Alabama State University cost?
Budget around $20,435 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Alabama State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $34,502 a year against a net price of $20,435, about 1.7 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Alabama State University known for?
Mostly Biology, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Rehabilitation. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Alabama State University graduates earn?
About $34,502 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Alabama State University accredited?
Yes. Alabama State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Alabama State University?
3,477 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Alabama State University?
32% finish within six years. That means most students do not finish in six years. Ask the school directly what support exists for students who fall behind. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Alabama State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Alabama State University located?
Alabama State University is located in Montgomery, Alabama.
What programs does Alabama State University offer?
45 different programs, most commonly Biology, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Rehabilitation. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Alabama State University?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Related Colleges in Alabama
Other colleges in Alabama share the same applicant pool, regional economy, and academic landscape. Comparing nearby options puts admissions, costs, and outcomes in context, useful when weighing your fit against local alternatives.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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