University of Alaska Fairbanks: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Fairbanks, Alaska · Public · Unknown · CDS 2024-2025
University of Alaska Fairbanks is a public university in Fairbanks, Alaska. The average family pays about $9,634 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Business Administration, Management and Operations, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other and Biology, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 39% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 5.9 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
University of Alaska Fairbanks is a public institution located in Fairbanks, Alaska. Admitted students typically post an ACT composite around 22. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $9,634 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of Alaska Fairbanks 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 Alaska Fairbanks?
Successful applicants to University of Alaska Fairbanks typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses. 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 Alaska Fairbanks weight in admissions?
University of Alaska Fairbanks reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores University of Alaska Fairbanks typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
| 25th percentile | 1070 |
| 50th percentile | 1190 |
| 75th percentile | 1310 |
| % submitting SAT | 14% |
| 25th percentile | 18 |
| 50th percentile | 22 |
| 75th percentile | 25 |
| % submitting ACT | 11% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Not considered
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 | 3% |
| Top 25% of class | 11% |
| Top 50% of class | 30% |
| % submitting class rank | 44% |
How much does University of Alaska Fairbanks actually cost?
Published tuition is $8,640 for in-state students and $22,752 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $10,450 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $9,634 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 22% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $8,670 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $25,650 |
| Room and board | $10,590 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $9,634 |
| Application fee | $50 (waivers available) |
Application deadlines and early decision data for University of Alaska Fairbanks
| Regular deadline | June 15 |
| Notification date | No set date |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from University of Alaska Fairbanks?
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 Alaska Fairbanks
The most popular undergraduate programs at University of Alaska Fairbanks, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other and Biology, General. Across all programs, University of Alaska Fairbanks confers roughly 269 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Business Administration, Management and Operations program report a median income of about $68,416 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 53 | $68,416 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 36 | — |
| Biology, General | 35 | $47,069 |
| Homeland Security | 35 | — |
| Psychology, General | 33 | $39,830 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 27 | — |
| Mechanical Engineering | 26 | $94,625 |
| Social Work | 24 | $42,999 |
Is University of Alaska Fairbanks safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), University of Alaska Fairbanks disclosed 25 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 5.9 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 8 violent offenses and 11 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 Alaska Fairbanks?
About 17% of undergraduates at University of Alaska Fairbanks live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Alaska parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of Alaska Fairbanks
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of Alaska Fairbanks 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 Alaska Fairbanks
What GPA do I need for University of Alaska Fairbanks?
Successful applicants to University of Alaska Fairbanks typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses.
What SAT or ACT score does University of Alaska Fairbanks typically admit?
University of Alaska Fairbanks does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Test-optional policies have made scores less universally required, but submitting strong scores still helps when available.
How much does University of Alaska Fairbanks actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Alaska Fairbanks after grants and scholarships is $9,634 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 Alaska Fairbanks 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 Alaska Fairbanks is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
Is University of Alaska Fairbanks test-optional?
Yes. University of Alaska Fairbanks 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 Alaska Fairbanks?
About 39% of students at University of Alaska Fairbanks graduate within six years, and 25% finish in four years. 74% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does University of Alaska Fairbanks look for in applicants?
University of Alaska Fairbanks rates GPA 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 Alaska Fairbanks a public or private school, and where is it located?
University of Alaska Fairbanks is a public institution located in Fairbanks, Alaska.
What are the most popular majors at University of Alaska Fairbanks?
The largest undergraduate majors at University of Alaska Fairbanks by annual graduates are Business Administration, Management and Operations, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other and Biology, General. The school awards about 269 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is University of Alaska Fairbanks safe? What is its campus crime rate?
University of Alaska Fairbanks reported 25 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 5.9 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 Alaska Fairbanks?
At University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by University of Alaska Fairbanks, 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.