Fortis Institute-Birmingham — ROI, Cost & Payback
Fortis Institute-Birmingham charges a net price of $25,946/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $103,784. Median earnings ten years after entry are $32,886, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Fortis Institute-Birmingham does not clear its cost — it ranks #50 of 54 Alabama colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $25,946/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $103,784 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $32,886 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$15,474/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $12,346 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$413,264 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Fortis Institute-Birmingham's own numbers. Net price $25,946 × 4 years = $103,784 total. Median earnings $32,886 fall $15,474 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $103,784 bill in about 10.4 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Fortis Institute-Birmingham students graduate with?
A median $12,346 in federal loans among completers, or 38% of the $32,886 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Fortis Institute-Birmingham students graduate?
34% finish their degree — 66% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $103,784 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $305,247 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Fortis Institute-Birmingham expensive compared with other Alabama colleges?
Its $25,946 net price runs $11,378 above the $14,569 median across the 54 Alabama colleges we profile, or $45,510 more across the full degree.