Data shows that students paid $13,412 on average to attend higher education courses at the time, $383 more than the previous school year.
Among the 70 institutions providing full disclosure in the state, Samford University stood out with the highest tuition fees, reaching an average of $36,725. Huntingdon College followed with an average of $28,350 per year. Gadsden State Community College students were offered the lowest annual tuition fees at $4,015.
Currently there are 73 higher education institutions in Alabama.
At the time, at least $386.7 million in grants or scholarships were awarded to full-time undergraduates who started college in Alabama. Additionally, federal student loans reached more than $133.8 million.
Undergraduate education costs have seen a significant increase over the past few decades. Data shows a 169% rise in the average total cost, including tuition, fees, room, and board, between 1980 and 2020.
According to a 2023 College Board report, in-state students at public universities paid an average of $11,260, while out-of-state students paid $29,150 in the 2023-24 academic year.
Meanwhile, student loan debt has steadily increased over the last 30 years, reaching $1.75 trillion in 2024, averaging a total of $28,950 per borrower. Federal loans make up 92% of the debt, with over half of students at both public and private four-year colleges graduating with student loans.
Of the 73 institutions in Alabama, three did not provide detailed data on tuition fees, including Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound, Amridge University, and Athens State University.
Available data sometimes exceeds 100% due to rounding and administrative calculations.
| Institution | Average Tuition Fees | Total Enrollment |
|---|---|---|
| Samford University | $36,725 | 3,672 |
| Huntingdon College | $28,350 | 812 |
| University of Mobile | $25,880 | 1,584 |
| The University of Alabama | $25,102 | 32,458 |
| Faulkner University | $23,920 | 1,792 |
| Tuskegee University | $22,614 | 2,100 |
| Spring Hill College | $21,732 | 933 |
| Birmingham-Southern College | $21,250 | 975 |
| Auburn University | $20,871 | 25,379 |
| Remington College-Mobile Campus | $20,393 | 255 |
| Oakwood University | $20,040 | 1,431 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Huntsville | $19,730 | 63 |
| Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology | $17,733 | 43 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Birmingham | $17,075 | 142 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Huntsville | $17,075 | 110 |
| South University-Montgomery | $17,014 | 315 |
| Fortis College-Montgomery | $16,509 | 215 |
| United States Sports Academy | $16,418 | 108 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville | $16,297 | 85 |
| Alabama State University | $16,284 | 3,296 |
| Fortis College-Dothan | $16,264 | 127 |
| Fortis College | $16,264 | 232 |
| University of Montevallo | $15,880 | 2,172 |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | $15,394 | 7,169 |
| New Beginning College of Cosmetology | $15,150 | 45 |
| Fortis Institute-Birmingham | $14,979 | 381 |
| Blue Cliff Career College | $14,800 | 37 |
| Jacksonville State University | $14,519 | 8,310 |
| Midfield Institute of Cosmetology | $14,400 | 12 |
| Talladega College | $13,866 | 835 |
| Alabama A & M University | $13,700 | 5,206 |
| Strayer University-Alabama | $13,515 | 1,237 |
| University of North Alabama | $13,132 | 7,214 |
| Marion Military Institute | $12,905 | 320 |
| Herzing University-Birmingham | $12,750 | 570 |
| Winonah's International School of Cosmetology | $12,750 | 109 |
| Miles College | $12,714 | 1,258 |
| University of West Alabama | $12,249 | 2,427 |
| Brown Beauty Barber School | $12,100 | 37 |
| Heritage Christian University | $11,632 | 82 |
| Troy University | $11,592 | 10,768 |
| Stillman College | $11,392 | 744 |
| University of South Alabama | $11,314 | 8,480 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | $10,854 | 13,032 |
| Auburn University at Montgomery | $9,100 | 3,754 |
| Columbia Southern University | $6,015 | 11,330 |
| Chattahoochee Valley Community College | $5,650 | 1,641 |
| Snead State Community College | $5,490 | 2,507 |
| Bevill State Community College | $5,358 | 3,703 |
| Jefferson State Community College | $5,296 | 8,431 |
| Southern Union State Community College | $5,236 | 4,386 |
| Coastal Alabama Community College | $5,226 | 6,800 |
| Central Alabama Community College | $5,179 | 1,777 |
| Shelton State Community College | $5,171 | 4,166 |
| Enterprise State Community College | $5,150 | 2,010 |
| John C Calhoun State Community College | $5,115 | 8,163 |
| Bishop State Community College | $5,113 | 2,968 |
| Lurleen B Wallace Community College | $5,108 | 1,929 |
| Lawson State Community College | $5,072 | 2,919 |
| George C Wallace Community College-Dothan | $5,049 | 3,832 |
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College | $5,045 | 976 |
| George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville | $4,996 | 5,965 |
| Northeast Alabama Community College | $4,958 | 2,590 |
| Reid State Technical College | $4,950 | 434 |
| H Councill Trenholm State Community College | $4,868 | 1,984 |
| J F Ingram State Technical College | $4,860 | 768 |
| Selma University | $4,800 | 31 |
| Huntsville Bible College | $4,730 | 66 |
| George C Wallace State Community College-Selma | $4,658 | 1,860 |
| Gadsden State Community College | $4,015 | 4,352 |
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