Birmingham, Alabama Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Birmingham, Alabama: median public in-state tuition $13,820 (+142.5% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $59,631 (+0.4% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 92.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $18,588 (+37.7% vs U.S.) 26,462 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Birmingham serve students across Alabama with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 7 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 26,462 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $13,820. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Birmingham, Alabama and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Birmingham 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, Alabama | $13,820 | $19,175 | $18,588 | 46.7% | 26,462 |
| Alabama (state median) | $5,760 | $8,931 | $19,716 | 45.0% | 220,070 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Birmingham, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, Alabama | $59,631 | 92.6% | 86.5% | 6.0% | — | 61.8% | 0.36 |
| Alabama (state median) | $50,557 | 92.0% | 70.6% | 7.7% | — | 58.2% | 0.49 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, Alabama | $13,820 | $19,175 | $18,588 | 46.7% | 26,462 | $59,631 | 92.6% |
| Tuscaloosa | $12,484 | $12,468 | $21,500 | 53.1% | 37,119 | $53,440 | 93.8% |
| Auburn | $13,318 | $25,424 | $20,657 | 82.1% | 26,816 | $73,273 | 94.3% |
| Auburn | $13,318 | $25,424 | $20,657 | 82.1% | 26,816 | $73,273 | 94.3% |
| Mobile | $22,580 | $21,545 | $19,160 | 56.8% | 14,140 | $53,069 | 92.7% |
| Montgomery | $11,248 | $18,798 | $25,756 | 36.0% | 11,020 | $44,606 | 91.6% |
| Troy | $10,440 | $13,943 | $25,000 | 50.3% | 9,805 | $49,010 | 89.9% |
| Troy | $10,440 | $13,943 | $25,000 | 50.3% | 9,805 | $49,010 | 89.9% |
| Troy | $10,440 | $13,943 | $25,000 | 50.3% | 9,805 | $49,010 | 89.9% |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, 77.8%, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 66.1%, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 0.0%, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, 95.0%, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.6%, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 87.8%, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 2 most selective colleges in Birmingham, 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, 82.4%, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 88.2%, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, $83,188, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $72,080, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $71,874, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, $119,888, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $104,654, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $87,413, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, $53,803, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $49,680, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $41,362, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, $61,672, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $55,784, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $44,147, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 3 colleges in Birmingham, 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, $66,982, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $59,631, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $44,016, Strayer University-Alabama
Strayer University-Alabama
Top 2 colleges in Birmingham, 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, $197,384, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $139,772, Samford University
Samford University
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Birmingham, 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, $15,630, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
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Rank 2, Net Price, $32,950, Samford University
Samford University
Top 2 colleges in Birmingham, 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, 92.9%, Samford University
Samford University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 80.1%, University of Alabama at Birmingham
University of Alabama at Birmingham
In-state tuition: Birmingham, Alabama vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Birmingham, Alabama median in-state tuition is $13,820, +142.5% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Birmingham, Alabama vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Birmingham, Alabama is $18,588 (+37.7% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,558.
Median earnings (10 years out): Birmingham, Alabama vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Birmingham, Alabama center around $59,631 (+0.4% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Birmingham, Alabama vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 92.6% at the median Birmingham, Alabama campus (-0.4 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
Birmingham, Alabama median public in-state tuition is $13,820, about +142.5% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +168.0%.
Median graduate debt is $18,588 (+37.7% above the U.S. median of $13,500). 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 Birmingham, Alabama are $59,631, about +0.4% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 92.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-0.4 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 86.5% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 6.0% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 61.8% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Samford University (95.0%), University of Alabama at Birmingham (92.6%), Strayer University-Alabama (87.8%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Birmingham, Alabama is 46.7% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Birmingham?
This city profile covers 7 campuses in Birmingham, Alabama with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Birmingham?
Median in-state tuition in Birmingham is $13,820 and median net price is $19,175. For Alabama overall, medians are $5,760 and $8,931; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Birmingham?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Birmingham is $59,631 vs $50,557 for Alabama and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Birmingham colleges?
Median completer debt in Birmingham is $18,588 vs $19,716 for Alabama and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Birmingham?
Top campuses on this page include Samford University (graduation) and Samford University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Birmingham?
Among 7 campuses in Birmingham, Alabama, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Lawson State Community College; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Baptist (1).
Sources & related
- Alabama college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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