University of Alabama: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Tuscaloosa, Alabama · Public · Open access · CDS 2025-2026
University of Alabama is a public university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama that admits about 76% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $22,150 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Marketing, Finance and Financial Management Services and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 74% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.6 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Alabama is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of Alabama admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 76%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1287 and an ACT composite around 26. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $22,150 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Alabama is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for University of Alabama?
University of Alabama has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does University of Alabama weight in admissions?
University of Alabama reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2025-2026). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Volunteer work
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Work experience
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Alabama typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 580–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 610. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 24–31. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1100 |
| 50th percentile | 1210 |
| 75th percentile | 1360 |
| % submitting SAT | 19% |
| 25th percentile | 22 |
| 50th percentile | 26 |
| 75th percentile | 31 |
| % submitting ACT | 53% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 23% |
| Top 25% of class | 47.6% |
| Top 50% of class | 78.6% |
| % submitting class rank | 37.5% |
How much does University of Alabama actually cost?
Published tuition is $11,900 for in-state students and $33,200 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $14,840 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $22,150 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 18% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $11,684 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $34,542 |
| Room and board | $13,616 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $22,150 |
| Application fee | $40 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Alabama
| Notification date | Rolling, beginning Mid-July |
| Reply deadline | May 1 |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Alabama?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at University of Alabama
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Alabama, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Marketing, Finance and Financial Management Services and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. Across all programs, University of Alabama confers roughly 2,988 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Marketing program report a median income of about $80,393 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 581 | $80,393 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | 540 | $84,758 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 420 | $80,311 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 321 | $64,089 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 300 | $91,807 |
| Psychology, General | 292 | $47,796 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 274 | $69,113 |
| Criminology | 260 | — |
Is University of Alabama safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Alabama disclosed 86 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.6 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 18 violent offenses and 20 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at University of Alabama?
About 26% of undergraduates at University of Alabama live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. In Greek life, 30% of men join a fraternity and 44% of women join a sorority. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Alabama parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Alabama
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Alabama recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of Alabama
What GPA do I need for University of Alabama?
University of Alabama has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Alabama typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 580–700, with an EBRW midpoint near 610. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 24–31.
How much does University of Alabama actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Alabama after grants and scholarships is $22,150 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of Alabama realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of Alabama is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at University of Alabama?
University of Alabama accepts about 76% of applicants out of roughly 61,994 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is University of Alabama test-optional?
Yes. University of Alabama is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at University of Alabama?
About 74% of students at University of Alabama graduate within six years. 88% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Alabama look for in applicants?
University of Alabama rates course rigor, GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is University of Alabama a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Alabama is a public institution located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
What are the most popular majors at University of Alabama?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Alabama by annual graduates are Marketing, Finance and Financial Management Services and Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. The school awards about 2,988 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Alabama safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Alabama reported 86 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.6 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at University of Alabama?
At University of Alabama, 26% of undergraduates live on campus, 30% of men are in fraternities, 44% of women are in sororities, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set submitted by University of Alabama, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.