Montgomery, Alabama Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
TL;DR
EDsmart Data analysis of 2024 College Scorecard data for Montgomery, Alabama shows: median public in-state tuition $10,712 (+94.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $40,539 (-25.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 89.2% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $25,562 (+90.3% vs U.S.) 11,020 students enrolled statewide.
Key Facts
- Institutions in this profile: 9 campuses
- Total college enrollment: 11,020 students
- Median public in-state tuition: $10,712 (+94.3% vs U.S.)
- Median earnings 10 years after entry: $40,539 (-25.4% vs U.S.)
- Working & not enrolled (8-yr cohort proxy): 89.2% (+1.2 pp vs U.S.)
- Median net price: $21,006 (+110.8% vs U.S.)
- Median student debt at graduation: $25,562 (+90.3% vs U.S. $13,432); regional median $14,173
- Average completion rate (institutions in state): 35.0%
- Median first-year retention (full-time, 4-yr): 67.0%
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Overview
EDsmart Data summarizes higher-education outcomes for campuses in Montgomery, Alabama—costs, debt, enrollment, completion, earnings, and standout institutions—against Alabama and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Montgomery vs Alabama & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, Alabama | $10,712 | $21,006 | $25,562 | 35.0% | 11,020 |
| Alabama (state median) | $5,340 | $10,721 | $21,000 | 43.3% | 220,166 |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Montgomery, Alabama vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, Alabama | $40,539 | 89.2% | 67.0% | 8.4% | — | 44.6% | 0.66 |
| Alabama (state median) | $44,391 | 90.0% | 70.6% | 7.7% | — | 58.2% | 0.55 |
| United States | $54,323 | 87.9% | 76.3% | 5.0% | — | 73.7% | 0.41 |
Other cities in Alabama (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery, Alabama | $10,712 | $21,006 | $25,562 | 35.0% | 11,020 | $40,539 | 89.2% |
| Tuscaloosa | $12,126 | $14,908 | $22,750 | 49.2% | 37,119 | $47,321 | 91.3% |
| Birmingham | $13,450 | $19,200 | $20,500 | 38.4% | 26,462 | $54,501 | 90.6% |
| Mobile | $16,411 | $19,074 | $19,160 | 52.7% | 14,140 | $49,379 | 91.5% |
| Huntsville | $8,661 | $18,796 | $23,852 | 44.6% | 8,748 | $52,128 | 84.4% |
| Dothan | $7,578 | $9,950 | $21,000 | N/A | 3,194 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,512 | $9,967 | $13,432 | 50.3% | 14,484,370 | $54,323 | 87.9% |
Outcomes by sector in Montgomery, Alabama
Median campus-level metrics within each ownership type (public, private nonprofit, private for-profit).
| Sector | Campuses | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working share (8 yr) | Retention | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private nonprofit | 3 | $43,457 | 89.4% | 65.7% | 7.7% | — | 43.9% |
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 48.0%, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 37.4%, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 32.6%, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 4, Graduation Rate, 30.3%, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 93.0%, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 89.9%, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 89.4%, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 4, Employment Outcome, 89.0%, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 most selective colleges in Montgomery, Alabama (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 69.5%, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 73.1%, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 91.6%, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 4, Admission Rate, 97.5%, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $69,625, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $54,704, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $40,031, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 4, Entry-Level Earnings, $39,762, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $78,282, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $65,820, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $63,070, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
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Rank 4, Early-Career Earnings, $61,286, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,147, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $38,216, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $37,313, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 4, Mid-Career Earnings, $27,453, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $46,532, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,659, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $42,211, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 4, 8-Yr Earnings, $32,520, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $49,601, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,391, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $43,457, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr Earnings, $34,502, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $136,248, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $123,681, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $99,752, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 4, 10-Yr ROI, $88,528, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
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Rank 5, 10-Yr ROI, $42,813, South University-Montgomery
South University-Montgomery
Top 10 most affordable colleges in Montgomery, Alabama (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $13,224, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 2, Net Price, $20,435, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
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Rank 3, Net Price, $22,085, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
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Rank 4, Net Price, $22,566, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
Top 10 colleges in Montgomery, Alabama by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 69.8%, Alabama State University
Alabama State University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 67.6%, Auburn University at Montgomery
Auburn University at Montgomery
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 67.0%, Huntingdon College
Huntingdon College
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Rank 4, First-Year Retention, 64.5%, Faulkner University
Faulkner University
In-state tuition: Montgomery, Alabama vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Montgomery, Alabama median in-state tuition is $10,712, +94.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Montgomery, Alabama vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Montgomery, Alabama is $25,562 (+90.3% vs U.S. median $13,432). Regional median: $14,173.
Median earnings (10 years out): Montgomery, Alabama vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Montgomery, Alabama center around $40,539 (-25.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Montgomery, Alabama vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 89.2% at the median Montgomery, Alabama campus (+1.2 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Montgomery, Alabama median public in-state tuition is $10,712, about +94.3% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +114.6%.
Median graduate debt is $25,562 (+90.3% above the U.S. median of $13,432). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Montgomery, Alabama are $40,539, about -25.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($54,323).
The median campus reports 89.2% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 87.9% (+1.2 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 67.0% vs a U.S. median of 76.3%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 8.4% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 44.6% (U.S. 73.7%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Huntingdon College (93.0%), Auburn University at Montgomery (89.9%), Faulkner University (89.4%), Alabama State University (89.0%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Within Montgomery, Alabama, sector medians diverge: Private nonprofit median 10-yr earnings $43,457 (3 campuses). Public campuses often dominate enrollment while private nonprofits can show higher earnings medians at selective institutions.
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Montgomery, Alabama is 35.0% (national institution average about 50.3%).
FAQ
How many colleges are in Montgomery?
EDsmart Data analysis: this city profile covers 9 campuses in Montgomery, Alabama with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Montgomery?
EDsmart Data analysis: median in-state tuition in Montgomery is $10,712 and median net price is $21,006. For Alabama overall, medians are $5,340 and $10,721; U.S. medians are $5,512 and $9,967.
What do graduates earn in Montgomery?
EDsmart Data analysis: median 10-year earnings for campuses in Montgomery is $40,539 vs $44,391 for Alabama and $54,323 nationally.
What is student debt like for Montgomery colleges?
EDsmart Data analysis: median completer debt in Montgomery is $25,562 vs $21,000 for Alabama and $13,432 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Montgomery?
EDsmart Data analysis: top campuses on this page include Huntingdon College (graduation) and Huntingdon College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Montgomery?
EDsmart Data analysis: among 9 campuses in Montgomery, Alabama, 2 historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Alabama State University and H Councill Trenholm State Community College; 3 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Churches of Christ (2), United Methodist (1).
Sources & related
- Alabama college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON