Mobile, Alabama Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Mobile, Alabama: median public in-state tuition $22,580 (+296.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $53,069 (-10.7% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 92.7% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $19,160 (+41.9% vs U.S.) 14,140 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Mobile serve students across Alabama with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 8 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 14,140 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $22,580. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Mobile, Alabama and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Mobile 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, Alabama | $22,580 | $21,545 | $19,160 | 56.8% | 14,140 |
| 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: Mobile, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, Alabama | $53,069 | 92.7% | 74.0% | 4.8% | — | 63.2% | 0.41 |
| 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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile, Alabama | $22,580 | $21,545 | $19,160 | 56.8% | 14,140 | $53,069 | 92.7% |
| 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% |
| Birmingham | $13,820 | $19,175 | $18,588 | 46.7% | 26,462 | $59,631 | 92.6% |
| 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 Mobile, 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, 61.4%, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 56.8%, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
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Rank 3, Graduation Rate, 54.6%, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, 93.9%, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 92.7%, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 3, Employment Outcome, 91.4%, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 most selective colleges in Mobile, 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, 71.0%, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 76.6%, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 3, Admission Rate, 77.9%, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, $80,528, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $80,148, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 3, Entry-Level Earnings, $73,507, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, $100,166, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $79,845, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
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Rank 3, Early-Career Earnings, $72,755, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, $49,054, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $45,511, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 3, Mid-Career Earnings, $42,186, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, $52,995, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $50,618, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 3, 8-Yr Earnings, $44,821, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, $58,881, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,069, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 3, 10-Yr Earnings, $48,418, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, $165,101, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $160,168, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 3, 10-Yr ROI, $105,893, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 most affordable colleges in Mobile, 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, $16,801, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 2, Net Price, $21,545, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
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Rank 3, Net Price, $23,931, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
Top 3 colleges in Mobile, 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, 75.7%, University of South Alabama
University of South Alabama
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 74.0%, University of Mobile
University of Mobile
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Rank 3, First-Year Retention, 70.2%, Spring Hill College
Spring Hill College
In-state tuition: Mobile, Alabama vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Mobile, Alabama median in-state tuition is $22,580, +296.1% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Mobile, Alabama vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Mobile, Alabama is $19,160 (+41.9% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $15,558.
Median earnings (10 years out): Mobile, Alabama vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Mobile, Alabama center around $53,069 (-10.7% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Mobile, Alabama vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 92.7% at the median Mobile, Alabama campus (-0.3 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
Mobile, Alabama median public in-state tuition is $22,580, about +296.1% vs the national median. Versus the Southeast region, tuition is +337.9%.
Median graduate debt is $19,160 (+41.9% 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 Mobile, Alabama are $53,069, about -10.7% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 92.7% 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% (-0.3 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 74.0% 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 4.8% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 63.2% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Spring Hill College (93.9%), University of South Alabama (92.7%), University of Mobile (91.4%)—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 Mobile, Alabama is 56.8% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Mobile?
This city profile covers 8 campuses in Mobile, Alabama with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Mobile?
Median in-state tuition in Mobile is $22,580 and median net price is $21,545. For Alabama overall, medians are $5,760 and $8,931; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Mobile?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Mobile is $53,069 vs $50,557 for Alabama and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Mobile colleges?
Median completer debt in Mobile is $19,160 vs $19,716 for Alabama and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Mobile?
Top campuses on this page include Spring Hill College (graduation) and Spring Hill College (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Mobile?
Among 8 campuses in Mobile, Alabama, 1 historically Black college or university (HBCU, IPEDS HBCU flag), including Bishop State Community College; 2 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campuses (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Southern Baptist (1), Roman Catholic (1).
Sources & related
- Alabama college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON