Public Graduate Good 65/100

Jacksonville State University

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

Compare This College

Jacksonville, Alabama

About Jacksonville State University

Thinking about Jacksonville State University, a college in Alabama where more students graduate in Health than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Jacksonville State University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Jacksonville, Alabama. It enrolls 7,036 students (a large 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.

Acceptance
77.7%
Graduation
46.6%
Net Price
$14,279
Median Earnings (10yr)
$45,235
Enrollment
7,036
Student : Faculty
19:1

Accreditor Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic Calendar Semester

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.

Good
65/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 29
Value 65
Affordability 75
Selectivity 31

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Jacksonville State University admits 77.7% of applicants, which makes it open to most qualified applicants, so admission is unlikely to be the hurdle.

Acceptance Rate
77.7%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1000 – 1290
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
17 – 24
Cumulative composite
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized 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 Jacksonville State University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Becoming less selective ↑ 21.4 pts since 2019
54.8%201963.7%202076.3%202178.5%202276.2%2023

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 $14,279 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$14,279
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
43%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
44%
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)
$12,894
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$23,334
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,524
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,754
Books & Supplies
$970
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$3,852
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$5,480
Total Cost of Attendance
$24,257

Application fee: $35 (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
    $12,472
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $12,622
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $15,343
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $17,480
  • Over $110,000
    $18,183

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.

$3,522
10% percentile
$6,750
25% percentile
$22,189
Median percentile
$28,666
75% percentile
$41,750
90% 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 $15,125 ↓ $7,064
No Pell $12,000 ↓ $10,189
Dependent students $13,225 ↓ $8,964
Independent students $17,601 ↓ $4,588
Female students $15,000 ↓ $7,189
Male students $12,055 ↓ $10,134
Pell recipients: 17.8% (3,948 students)No Pell: 14.1% (3,132 students)Dependent students: 15.6% (3,452 students)Independent students: 20.7% (4,594 students)Female students: 17.6% (3,915 students)Male students: 14.2% (3,147 students)Overall Median$22,189
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $7,845, less than completers ($22,189), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

47% of students who start here finish within six years, and 64% 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
47%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
64%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $45,235 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$45,235
Earning > $25K
73%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$39,000$41,000$43,000$44,000$46,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

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
$34,500

Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.

Male graduates
$43,000

Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$35,200

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$39,500

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$41,300

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $8,500, about 20% 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 ↑ 18.7 pts across 6 years
53%1yr57.5%3yr64%5yr71.7%7yr
What this signals: Strong. 72% of graduates are actively reducing their debt seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 7,036 students, a large student community. Worth knowing: 36% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
7,036
Part-Time
9%
First-Generation
36%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 59.7% 4,200
Black 23.8% 1,676
Hispanic 5.2% 369
Other 4.6% 326
International 3.8% 270
Asian 0.8% 54
White: 59.7% (4,200 students)Black: 23.8% (1,676 students)Hispanic: 5.2% (369 students)Other: 4.6% (326 students)International: 3.8% (270 students)Asian: 0.8% (54 students)Total7,036

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Jacksonville State University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small Suburb Jacksonville, Alabama
Housing
Partly residential 2,607 beds available
Adult Learners
11% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Education graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Jacksonville State University offers an extensive catalog of programs: 72 distinct programs across 20 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.

6 Programs
6 Programs
2 Programs
3 Programs
2 Programs
5 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 19 students for every instructor here: on the higher side, so larger classes are common.

Student : Faculty
19:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$7,993
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$15M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$69,713
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

345 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 93 27% $86,487
Associate Professors 77 22% $74,640
Assistant Professors 75 22% $64,035
Instructors 100 29% $54,579

Pros & Cons of Jacksonville State University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Jacksonville State University is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Class sizes are on the higher side
  • Below-average completion rate
  • First-year retention is below typical
Best for: Based on the data, Jacksonville State University is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.

Frequently Asked Questions about Jacksonville State University

The questions families ask most about Jacksonville State University, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Jacksonville State University hard to get into?
Not especially. Jacksonville State University admits most qualified applicants, with an acceptance rate of 77.7%. Plan around cost and whether students finish, not your odds of getting in.
What is the acceptance rate at Jacksonville State University?
77.7% 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 Jacksonville State University?
Aim for 1290 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 1000 and 1290 (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 Jacksonville State University?
Aim for 24 or better. Half of admitted students scored between 17 and 24 on the composite, so the upper half of that band is where you want to land. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Jacksonville State University cost?
Budget around $14,279 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 Jacksonville State University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $45,235 a year against a net price of $14,279, about 3.2 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 Jacksonville State University known for?
Mostly Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Liberal Arts. 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 Jacksonville State University graduates earn?
About $45,235 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 Jacksonville State University accredited?
Yes. Jacksonville State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Jacksonville State University?
7,036 students. Big enough for a wide course catalogue without feeling anonymous. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Jacksonville State University?
47% 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 Jacksonville State University a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Jacksonville State University located?
Jacksonville State University is located in Jacksonville, Alabama.
What programs does Jacksonville State University offer?
72 different programs, most commonly Nursing, Teacher Education (K-12), Liberal Arts. 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 Jacksonville State University?
19 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Continue Exploring

Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.