Best colleges in Alabama, ranked by ROI

Name: Alabama colleges — cost, earnings and ROI rankings
Creator: Degree Dividend

By the Degree Dividend editorial data teamEvery figure verified against its federal source — methodologyData updated June 2026

We rank all 54 Alabama institutions we profile by payback years — total net cost divided by earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The state's median net price is $14,569/yr (below the $16,902 national median), and its graduates earn a median $36,753 ten years out (below the $43,549 national median). Marion Military Institute leads, clearing its cost in 1.5 years. (Scorecard, 2026.)

$14,569

Median net price / yr

Scorecard, 2026

$36,753

Median earnings, 10 yrs

Scorecard, 2026

13 yrs

Median payback

Our math, 2026

Colleges ranked

degreedividend.com

Alabama colleges by payback (best first)

#	College	Net price/yr	Earnings 10y	Payback
1	Marion Military Institute	$8,627	$59,644	1.5 yrs
2	Columbia Southern University	$14,580	$63,534	3.8 yrs
3	University of Alabama in Huntsville	$18,796	$61,767	5.6 yrs
4	Auburn University	$24,323	$65,337	5.7 yrs
5	The University of Alabama	$22,420	$59,221	8.3 yrs
6	University of Alabama at Birmingham	$18,749	$54,501	12.2 yrs
7	Samford University	$32,622	$58,469	12.9 yrs
8	United States Sports University	$24,076	$55,257	14 yrs
9	Spring Hill College	$20,449	$51,500	26 yrs
10	University of South Alabama	$17,648	$49,379	69.3 yrs
11	Huntingdon College	$22,566	$49,601	72.7 yrs
12	Tuskegee University	$35,013	$49,641	109.3 yrs
13	University of North Alabama	$12,170	$45,415	no payback
14	Jacksonville State University	$14,279	$45,235	no payback
15	Auburn University at Montgomery	$13,224	$44,391	no payback
16	University of West Alabama	$12,684	$44,232	no payback
17	Enterprise State Community College	$12,609	$42,572	no payback
18	Jefferson State Community College	$9,086	$40,719	no payback
19	University of Montevallo	$17,683	$42,957	no payback
20	University of Mobile	$22,382	$43,611	no payback
21	Faulkner University	$22,085	$43,457	no payback
22	Troy University	$16,527	$42,062	no payback
23	Oakwood University	$25,669	$42,488	no payback
24	George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville	$13,170	$39,842	no payback
25	Alabama A & M University	$17,621	$40,628	no payback
26	John C Calhoun State Community College	$7,660	$38,192	no payback
27	Chattahoochee Valley Community College	$4,244	$36,438	no payback
28	Southern Union State Community College	$6,142	$36,597	no payback
29	Snead State Community College	$3,249	$35,735	no payback
30	Herzing University-Birmingham	$19,651	$36,909	no payback
31	Northeast Alabama Community College	$2,756	$34,913	no payback
32	Northwest Shoals Community College	$2,838	$33,828	no payback
33	Bevill State Community College	$5,937	$34,107	no payback
34	Stillman College	$15,258	$35,421	no payback
35	Gadsden State Community College	$3,515	$32,937	no payback
36	Coastal Alabama Community College	$13,644	$34,894	no payback
37	Shelton State Community College	$14,557	$35,014	no payback
38	Lurleen B Wallace Community College	$2,792	$32,307	no payback
39	George C Wallace Community College-Dothan	$1,170	$31,399	no payback
40	Lawson State Community College	$6,275	$31,701	no payback
41	H Councill Trenholm State Community College	$8,325	$32,183	no payback
42	Alabama State University	$20,435	$34,502	no payback
43	Central Alabama Community College	$15,996	$33,506	no payback
44	Miles College	$14,271	$32,627	no payback
45	George C Wallace State Community College-Selma	$9,272	$31,598	no payback
46	Talladega College	$15,560	$32,229	no payback
47	South University-Montgomery	$27,807	$34,421	no payback
48	Bishop State Community College	$5,397	$29,916	no payback
49	Reid State Technical College	$1,739	$28,982	no payback
50	Fortis Institute-Birmingham	$25,946	$32,886	no payback
51	J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College	$6,005	$28,281	no payback
52	Remington College-Mobile Campus	$26,120	$31,349	no payback
53	Fortis College	$19,074	$26,652	no payback
54	Fortis College-Montgomery	$21,006	$26,652	no payback

College Scorecard (2026), institution-level · ranking and payback are our math. Payback uses institution-wide earnings; a specific major can rank very differently.

Colleges in Alabama: frequently asked questions

Which college has the best ROI in Alabama?

Marion Military Institute. It charges $8,627/yr after aid and its graduates earn a median $59,644 ten years out, clearing the cost in about 1.5 years — the fastest payback of the 54 Alabama colleges we track.

How much does college cost in Alabama?

The median net price across Alabama colleges is $14,569/yr after grants and scholarships — below the $16,902 national median. That is the actual price the typical aided student pays, not the published sticker.

What do Alabama college graduates earn?

A median $36,753 ten years after entry (Scorecard), below the $43,549 national median. Earnings vary widely by school and major — see each college's profile for its own figure.

How many Alabama colleges pay for themselves?

12 of the 54 Alabama colleges we track clear their cost on institution-wide earnings above the high-school baseline. The rest need a high-ROI major to pay off — the school average alone does not.