Fortis Institute-Birmingham
Birmingham, AL 35211
About Fortis Institute-Birmingham
Fortis Institute-Birmingham is a private for-profit trade school in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling about 613 students. Programs focus on certificates and workforce credentials that prepare students for skilled trades and technical careers. Typical net price after grant aid is about $25,946 for students who receive it, compared with published tuition near $15,335. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $32,886 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Fortis Institute-Birmingham charges 8% below the national private for-profit median tuition ($15,335).
- Versus the Alabama median, sticker tuition is 53% above.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 33.73%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $32,886.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Fortis Institute-Birmingham is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 217% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fortis Institute-Birmingham | $15,335 | $25,946 | 1 |
| Private For-profit (national median) | $16,637 | — | 477 |
| Alabama (state median) | $10,024 | $10,721 | 63 |
| Suburban (locale median) | $13,135 | $18,048 | 684 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
How expensive is Fortis Institute-Birmingham really?
Key findings
- Fortis Institute-Birmingham charges 8% below the national private for-profit median tuition ($15,335).
- Versus the Alabama median, sticker tuition is 53% above.
Fortis Institute-Birmingham tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $15,335
Finding Fortis Institute-Birmingham charges 8% below the national private for-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $15,335. That is 8% below the national private for-profit median ($16,637). Versus the Alabama median ($10,024), sticker tuition is 53% above. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is 29% above.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private for-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Fortis Institute-Birmingham versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Fortis Institute-Birmingham versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Fortis Institute-Birmingham is $25,946.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $25,946 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $15,225 above the Alabama median net price. Versus suburban campuses, net price runs $7,898 above the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway At Fortis Institute-Birmingham, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Fortis Institute-Birmingham: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Fortis Institute-Birmingham—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$15,335
Avg. net price
$25,946
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $25,257 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $26,309 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $29,229 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $32,927 |
| $110,001+ | $32,927 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $61,340. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Fortis Institute-Birmingham is known for
Top program completions
- Medical/Clinical Assistant55
- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician45
- Dental Assisting/Assistant32
- Welding Technology/Welder25
- Electrician11
See earnings & programs for more.
Is Fortis Institute-Birmingham a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Fortis Institute-Birmingham is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Fortis Institute-Birmingham.
Campus
Location
Birmingham, AL
City / state
- ZIP
- 35211
- NCES locale
- Suburb
Compared with Suburban campuses nationally, net price is 44% above the median for Suburban campuses ($18,048 median).
Control
Institution type
Private For-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Special Focus Two-Year: Health Professions
Size
Enrollment
613
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 946
- Full-time share
- 100%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$12,346
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 80.99%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Fortis Institute-Birmingham.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Fortis Institute-Birmingham was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Fortis Institute-Birmingham in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $15,224 | $15,224 | $45,330 |
| 2014 | $14,029 | $14,029 | $23,141 |
| 2015 | $13,552 | $13,552 | $24,209 |
| 2016 | $14,029 | $14,029 | $26,091 |
| 2017 | $14,220 | $14,220 | $26,570 |
| 2018 | $13,317 | $13,317 | $23,079 |
| 2019 | $13,326 | $13,326 | $19,188 |
| 2020 | $13,649 | $13,649 | $15,097 |
| 2021 | $13,655 | $13,655 | $21,197 |
| 2022 | $14,979 | $14,979 | $28,374 |
| 2023 | $14,561 | $14,561 | $22,914 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
Acceptance rate data is not available for this institution.
Admissions funnel data is not available for this institution.
Test Scores
Test score data is not available for this institution.
Score distribution is not available for this institution.
Academic Requirements
GPA requirements are not published by this institution. Contact the admissions office for specific academic requirements.
Estimated GPA range is not available for this institution.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Fortis Institute-Birmingham reported total enrollment of about 613 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 49% male and 51% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (80.3%), White (9.0%), and Hispanic or Latino (6.9%). About 80.99% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 54.6% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
100.0% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Fortis Institute-Birmingham in 2024 is 613 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 946 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
56.2%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
23.49% 100% Completion Time
33.73% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 23.49% of students graduating from Fortis Institute-Birmingham completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Medical/Clinical Assistant: 7% male / 93% female
- Heating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/Technician: 98% male / 2% female
- Dental Assisting/Assistant: 9% male / 91% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates earn a median of $32,886 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Fortis Institute-Birmingham.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $32,886. Median federal loan debt: $12,346. Average net price used in cost models: $25,946.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates report median earnings of $32,886 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Fortis Institute-Birmingham.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 7 programs by IPEDS completions (8 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Fortis Institute-Birmingham.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Fortis Institute-Birmingham graduates.
Institutional resources
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Fortis Institute-Birmingham—instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 26.5%
- Alabama median 22.8 pp below median (49.2%)
- Southeast median 33.0 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 31.5 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $5,361
- Alabama median 0.71× the median ($7,502)
- Southeast median 0.79× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.70× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $3,587
- Alabama median 0.50× the median ($7,192)
- Southeast median 0.54× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 0.49× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
Fortis Institute-Birmingham at a glance
Fortis Institute-Birmingham
Fortis Institute-Birmingham is a private for-profit institution in Birmingham, AL, classified as Special Focus Two-Year: Health Professions.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Medical/Clinical AssistantHeating, Air Conditioning, Ventilation and Refrigeration Maintenance Technology/TechnicianDental Assisting/Assistant
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American80.3%White or Caucasian9.0%Hispanic or Latino6.9%
Schools near Fortis Institute-Birmingham
Other campuses in Birmingham, AL when available, plus nearby institutions in Alabama.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade F) within Alabama, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Fortis Institute-Birmingham located?
Fortis Institute-Birmingham is located in Birmingham, AL.
What is Fortis Institute-Birmingham's tuition?
Fortis Institute-Birmingham tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $15,335 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $25,946 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Fortis Institute-Birmingham cost?
Reported tuition is $15,335 and average net price is $25,946 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $10,800 annually.
What explains Fortis Institute-Birmingham's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($25,946), completion (33.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($32,886). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Fortis Institute-Birmingham?
Fortis Institute-Birmingham reports undergraduate enrollment of about 946 students, Black or African American (80.3%), White (9.0%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Fortis Institute-Birmingham?
About 54.6% of students at Fortis Institute-Birmingham are first-generation college students.
What do graduates of Fortis Institute-Birmingham earn?
Median earnings are $34,430 six years after entry and $32,886 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Fortis Institute-Birmingham?
The 150%-time completion rate is 33.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Fortis Institute-Birmingham students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $12,346.
Is Fortis Institute-Birmingham public or private?
Fortis Institute-Birmingham is a private for-profit institution located in Birmingham, AL.
Is Fortis Institute-Birmingham an HBCU?
No. Fortis Institute-Birmingham is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Fortis Institute-Birmingham a tribal college?
No. Fortis Institute-Birmingham is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.