Auburn University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Auburn, Alabama. It enrolls 26,816 students (a very large student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Strong
74/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes92
Value50
Affordability18
Selectivity85
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 45.9%, Auburn University is a selective institution.
Acceptance Rate
45.9%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1260 – 1390
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
26 – 31
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 Auburn University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Getting more selective ↓
30.2 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Auburn University isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $24,323 per year. That's in line with the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$24,323
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
13%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
26%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees (in-state)
$12,890
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$34,922
Room & Board (on-campus)
$16,626
Room & Board (off-campus)
$15,436
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,166
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$6,166
Total Cost of Attendance
$34,919
Application fee: $50 (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
$16,681
$30,001 – $48,000
$17,627
$48,001 – $75,000
$20,558
$75,001 – $110,000
$25,808
Over $110,000
$29,547
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.
$4,50010%percentile
$7,50025%percentile
$21,000Medianpercentile
$26,00075%percentile
$33,47490%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 $20,000
↓ $1,000
No Pell $15,000
↓ $6,000
Dependent students $17,562
↓ $3,438
Independent students $18,489
↓ $2,511
Female students $18,500
↓ $2,500
Male students $16,250
↓ $4,750
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $8,750, less than completers ($21,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
73% of full-time students who enrolled at Auburn University graduate within six years, and 94% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
73%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
94%
Returning for their second year
What this means:
High first-year retention. Students who arrive tend to stay.
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Auburn University earn a median of $65,337 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$65,337
Earning > $25K
86%
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
$48,000
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$63,800
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$53,800
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$54,600
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$58,300
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $15,800, about 25% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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 ↑
7.3 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Strong. 84% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Auburn University is home to 26,816 students, a sprawling student community.
Total Enrolled
26,816
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
17%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 82.8%22,201
Hispanic 4.6%1,244
Black 4.1%1,105
Other 3.6%960
Asian 3.0%791
International 1.6%421
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Auburn University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small CityAuburn, Alabama
Housing
Partly residential4,598 beds available
Adult Learners
3%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Auburn University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
213 distinct programs across
26 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.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Auburn University is 21:1, on the higher side.
Student : Faculty
21:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$11,198
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.0B
Strong financial cushion supports aid and stability
Avg Faculty Salary
$106,806
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
1,466 instructional faculty across 6 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
398
27%
$147,345
Associate Professors
427
29%
$108,785
Assistant Professors
366
25%
$91,431
Instructors
63
4%
$60,685
Lecturers
203
14%
$68,065
No Rank
9
1%
$42,161
Pros & Cons of Auburn University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Auburn University tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
Predominantly serves middle- and upper-income families
Best for:
Based on the data, Auburn University is a fit for
students prioritizing post-graduation earnings; students who want a large campus with breadth and variety.
Frequently Asked Questions about Auburn University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Auburn University.
Is Auburn University hard to get into?
Auburn University is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 45.9%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Auburn University?
Auburn University has an acceptance rate of 45.9%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Auburn University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Auburn University scored between 1260 and 1390 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Auburn University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Auburn University scored between 26 and 31 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Auburn University cost?
The average net price after aid at Auburn University is $24,323 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Auburn University worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $65,337 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $24,323 per year. That's roughly 2.7x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Auburn University known for?
Auburn University is best known for its programs in Business Administration, Business Administration, Finance. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Auburn University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Auburn University are $65,337, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Auburn University accredited?
Yes. Auburn University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Auburn University?
Auburn University enrolls 26,816 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Auburn University?
Auburn University graduates 73% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Auburn University a public or private college?
Auburn University is a Public institution.
Where is Auburn University located?
Auburn University is located in Auburn, Alabama.
What programs does Auburn University offer?
Auburn University offers 213 distinct programs. The most popular include Business Administration, Business Administration, Finance.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Auburn University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Auburn University is 21:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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.
H
How to Build Your College List Pillar
The full process of narrowing from 3,839 US colleges to a shortlist of ~10. Cost, location, size, selectivity, and fit factors that actually predict whether you'll thrive.
What actually makes a college work for first-generation students, the support and aid signals that predict success, and how to find the schools that deliver them using federal data.
How to find the colleges that deliver the strongest return on a STEM degree by weighing earnings outcomes against net cost, rather than chasing the most selective name.
Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
American Colleges by the Numbers
One federal dataset, 3,839 colleges. The median school costs $16,371 a year, admits 78% of applicants, and enrolls 1,259 students. The shape of US higher ed.
Higher education data
Net price
College enrollment
Acceptance rate
College ownership
Do Selective Schools Actually Graduate More Students?
Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
Acceptance rate
Selectivity
Completion
College outcomes
For-Profit Colleges Charge the Most and Pay the Least
For-profit colleges post the highest median net price of any sector and the lowest graduate earnings. They cost more than private nonprofits and pay less than publics.
For-profit colleges
Net price
Earnings
College ROI
College ownership
Rankings That Feature Auburn University
Auburn University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
Highest-Earning Transportation Colleges
The highest-earning colleges for Transportation, ranked by graduate salary 10 years after entry.
$95,951 Top Earn
$57,445 Avg Earn
87 UCD Score
93 Colleges
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
