Private Nonprofit Graduate Fair 53/100

Oakwood University

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

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Huntsville, Alabama

About Oakwood University

Thinking about Oakwood University, a college in Alabama where more students graduate in Biology 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.

Oakwood University is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Huntsville, Alabama. It enrolls 1,153 students (a small, tight-knit 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
45.2%
Graduation
39.1%
Net Price
$25,669
Median Earnings (10yr)
$42,488
Enrollment
1,153
Student : Faculty
10:1

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.

Fair
53/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes 22
Value 9
Affordability 52
Selectivity 86

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Oakwood University admits 45.2% of applicants, which makes it genuinely competitive, so your application needs to be strong.

Acceptance Rate
45.2%
Selective
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Test Optional Applicants choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Oakwood University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 14.2 pts since 2019
64.7%201988.8%202071.9%202168%202250.5%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 $25,669 a year on average, it sits in line with what private nonprofit colleges charge nationally. Plan for the gap between that and what you can pay without borrowing. 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
$25,669
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
44%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
57%
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
$22,512
Room & Board (on-campus)
$9,384
Room & Board (off-campus)
$12,840
Books & Supplies
$1,200
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$8,000
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$8,470
Total Cost of Attendance
$40,176

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
    $23,999
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $22,444
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $24,501
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $28,074
  • Over $110,000
    $27,219

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.

$5,500
10% percentile
$12,500
25% percentile
$27,000
Median percentile
$37,250
75% percentile
$46,500
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 $23,875 ↓ $3,125
No Pell $16,250 ↓ $10,750
Dependent students $21,500 ↓ $5,500
Independent students $18,750 ↓ $8,250
Female students $20,500 ↓ $6,500
Male students $22,250 ↓ $4,750
Pell recipients: 19.4% (5,236 students)No Pell: 13.2% (3,563 students)Dependent students: 17.5% (4,715 students)Independent students: 15.2% (4,112 students)Female students: 16.6% (4,495 students)Male students: 18.1% (4,879 students)Overall Median$27,000
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $18,750, less than completers ($27,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

39% of students who start here finish within six years, and 67% 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
39%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
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 $42,488 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)
$42,488
Earning > $25K
66%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

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

$29,000$33,000$37,000$40,000$44,0006 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
$33,500

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

Male graduates
$42,500

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


By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$32,600

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

Family income (middle third)
$38,300

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

Family income (highest third)
$42,500

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

The gender gap: Male graduates earn $9,000, about 21% 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 ↑ 21.8 pts across 6 years
35.4%1yr46%3yr59.9%5yr57.2%7yr
What this signals: Moderate. Only 57% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,153 students, a small, close-knit community.

Total Enrolled
1,153
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
18%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

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

GroupShareStudents
Black 64.8% 747
Hispanic 7.6% 88
Other 2.6% 30
Asian 1.6% 18
White 1.4% 16
Black: 64.8% (747 students)Hispanic: 7.6% (88 students)Other: 2.6% (30 students)Asian: 1.6% (18 students)White: 1.4% (16 students)Total1,153

Student Life & Campus Culture

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

Setting
Midsize City Huntsville, Alabama
Housing
Strongly residential 1,266 beds for 1,153 students
Adult Learners
8% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure
Designation
Historically Black College / University (HBCU)
Designation
Religiously affiliated

What You Can Study

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

Oakwood University offers a varied set of programs: 34 distinct programs across 15 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.

2 Programs
7 Programs
2 Programs
3 Programs
5 Programs
2 Programs
2 Programs

Faculty & Resources

There are 10 students for every instructor here: small classes, and staff who are likely to know your name.

Student : Faculty
10:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$77M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$52,221
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

97 instructional faculty across 3 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 19 20% $57,326
Associate Professors 32 33% $51,307
Assistant Professors 46 47% $50,749

Pros & Cons of Oakwood University

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Oakwood 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
  • Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Above-average net price
  • Selective admissions, solid academic profile expected
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Low completion rate, many students don't graduate within six years
  • First-year retention is below typical
Best for: Based on the data, Oakwood University is a fit for students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Oakwood University

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

Is Oakwood University hard to get into?
Oakwood University is selective but not extremely competitive. Its acceptance rate is 45.2%. Strong academic credentials and a thoughtful application materially improve your odds.
What is the acceptance rate at Oakwood University?
45.2% of applicants are admitted. Around half get in, so a solid application has a real chance. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Oakwood University cost?
Budget around $25,669 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 Oakwood University worth it?
On the numbers, yes: moderate return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $42,488 a year against a net price of $25,669, 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 Oakwood University known for?
Mostly Biology, Liberal Arts, Theology. 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 Oakwood University graduates earn?
About $42,488 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 Oakwood University accredited?
Yes. Oakwood University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Oakwood University?
1,153 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Oakwood University?
39% 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 Oakwood University a public or private college?
It is Private Nonprofit. Private nonprofit, so the sticker price is higher but institutional aid is often larger too.
Where is Oakwood University located?
Oakwood University is located in Huntsville, Alabama.
What programs does Oakwood University offer?
34 different programs, most commonly Biology, Liberal Arts, Theology. 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 Oakwood University?
10 students per instructor. Low enough that staff are likely to know who you are. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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