Tuition Trends for Alabama colleges Over Past 10 Years

There are 76 colleges in Alabama - 38 public and 38 private schools. The 2024 average tuition & fees of the 4-year colleges in Alabama is $11,020 for Alabama residents and $22,815 for out-of-state students. In private colleges, the average tuition & fees is $17,419. For Alabama community colleges, the average tuition & fees is $5,205 for state residents and $9,100 for out-of-state students.

Alabama public 4-year colleges' in-state tuition & fees increased by 48.31% from $8,746 (2015) to $12,971 (2024) and out-of-state tuition & fees grew by 31.86% over the past decade from $17,995 (2015) to $23,729 (2024). In private Alabama colleges, the tuition & fees increased by 12.06%, from $15,833 (2015) to $17,743 (2024).

Compare Schools Alabama Statistics Show All Schools

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased by 26.32% when living on campus and by 30.09% when living off campus at public Alabama colleges. For private Alabama colleges, the COA has increased by 15.03% (on-campus) and 19.25% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes of Alabama colleges
Year	Living On Campus			Living Off Campus
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$21,753	$31,002	$28,840	$22,185	$31,434	$29,272
2015-16	$22,494 3.41%	$32,011 3.25%	$29,741 3.12%	$22,833 2.92%	$32,350 2.91%	$30,080 2.76%
2016-17	$22,973 2.13%	$32,755 2.32%	$30,828 3.65%	$23,610 3.40%	$33,392 3.22%	$31,465 4.60%
2017-18	$23,437 2.02%	$33,502 2.28%	$30,973 0.47%	$23,737 0.54%	$33,802 1.23%	$31,273 -0.61%
2018-19	$23,937 2.13%	$32,963 -1.61%	$30,560 -1.33%	$25,207 6.19%	$34,233 1.28%	$31,830 1.78%
2019-20	$24,928 4.14%	$34,226 3.83%	$31,471 2.98%	$26,206 3.96%	$35,504 3.71%	$32,749 2.89%
2020-21	$25,080 0.61%	$34,420 0.57%	$32,419 3.01%	$26,524 1.21%	$35,864 1.01%	$33,863 3.40%
2021-22	$25,703 2.48%	$35,410 2.88%	$31,891 -1.63%	$27,141 2.33%	$36,848 2.74%	$33,329 -1.58%
2022-23	$27,919 8.62%	$37,753 6.62%	$32,440 1.72%	$29,196 7.57%	$39,030 5.92%	$33,717 1.16%
2023-24	$28,403 1.73%	$39,161 3.73%	$33,175 2.27%	$30,136 3.22%	$40,894 4.78%	$34,908 3.53%

Tuition & Fees Changes

For the current year (2024), the average tuition & fees for Alabama colleges is $15,281 for Alabama residents and $26,039 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $18,733.

For graduate programs, the 2024 average graduate tuition & fees is $11,641 for Alabama residents and $22,806 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $14,022.

The tuition & fees has increased 31.86% for undergraduate programs and 24.91% for graduate programs at Alabama colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.

Tuition & Fees Changes for Alabama colleges
Year	Undergraduate			Graduate
Year	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools	In-State	Out-of-State	Private Schools
2014-15	$8,746	$17,995	$15,833	$8,316	$17,276	$12,047
2015-16	$9,056 3.54%	$18,573 3.21%	$16,303 2.97%	$8,789 5.69%	$18,219 5.46%	$11,743 -2.52%
2016-17	$9,292 2.61%	$19,074 2.70%	$17,147 5.18%	$8,741 -0.55%	$17,674 -2.99%	$12,155 3.51%
2017-18	$9,644 3.79%	$19,709 3.33%	$17,180 0.19%	$9,468 8.32%	$18,828 6.53%	$11,761 -3.24%
2018-19	$9,883 2.48%	$18,909 -4.06%	$16,506 -3.92%	$9,761 3.09%	$19,680 4.53%	$11,978 1.85%
2019-20	$10,209 3.30%	$19,507 3.16%	$16,752 1.49%	$9,658 -1.06%	$20,101 2.14%	$12,140 1.35%
2020-21	$10,210 0.01%	$19,550 0.22%	$17,549 4.76%	$9,676 0.19%	$20,366 1.32%	$13,162 8.42%
2021-22	$10,745 5.24%	$20,452 4.61%	$16,933 -3.51%	$9,896 2.27%	$20,612 1.21%	$13,777 4.67%
2022-23	$12,691 18.11%	$22,525 10.14%	$17,212 1.65%	$10,054 1.60%	$21,454 4.08%	$13,223 -4.02%
2023-24	$12,971 2.21%	$23,729 5.35%	$17,743 3.09%	$10,414 3.58%	$21,579 0.58%	$13,079 -1.09%

Alabama 4-Year Colleges Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Alabama Graduate Schools Tuition & Fees Trend Chart

Books & Supplies Costs Changes for Alabama colleges
Year	Books & Supplies
2014-15	$1,306
2015-16	$1,302 -0.31%
2016-17	$1,273 -2.23%
2017-18	$1,283 0.79%
2018-19	$1,242 -3.20%
2019-20	$1,262 1.61%
2020-21	$1,250 -0.95%
2021-22	$1,244 -0.48%
2022-23	$1,194 -4.02%
2023-24	$1,226 2.68%

Living Costs Changes

For Alabama colleges, the living have increased 14.31% when a student lives on campus facilities and 16.94% when living off campus from year 2015 to 2024. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.

Living Costs Changes for Alabama colleges
Year	Living On Campus	Living Off Campus
2014-15	$11,701	$11,845
2015-16	$12,136 2.05%	$12,311 0.50%
2016-17	$12,408 4.78%	$12,739 6.37%
2017-18	$12,510 1.88%	$12,829 -1.82%
2018-19	$12,812 1.85%	$14,364 -1.14%
2019-20	$13,457 5.29%	$14,991 5.76%
2020-21	$13,620 1.15%	$15,261 1.83%
2021-22	$13,714 0.65%	$14,766 6.90%
2022-23	$14,034 2.26%	$15,030 1.12%
2023-24	$14,206 0.32%	$15,120 5.63%

Most Searched Alabama Colleges (last 30 days)

4-Year Colleges

Lawson State Community College Public, 2-4 years | Birmingham
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa
Auburn University Public, four-years | Auburn
Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal
University of Alabama at Birmingham Public, four-years | Birmingham
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery
University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville
Samford University Private, four-years | Birmingham
Jacksonville State University Public, four-years | Jacksonville
South University-Montgomery Private, four-years | Montgomery

compare schools

Graduate

University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville
University of Alabama System Office Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa
University of North Alabama Public, four-years | Florence
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa
Oakwood University Private, four-years | Huntsville
Huntsville Bible College Private, four-years | Huntsville
University of South Alabama Public, four-years | Mobile
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery
Tuskegee University Private, four-years | Tuskegee
Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal

compare schools

Online Schools

Samford University Private, four-years | Birmingham
Alabama State University Public, four-years | Montgomery
United States Sports Academy Private, four-years | Daphne
The University of Alabama Public, four-years | Tuscaloosa
Fortis Institute-Birmingham Private, 2-4 years | Birmingham
Alabama A & M University Public, four-years | Normal
University of Alabama in Huntsville Public, four-years | Huntsville
Jefferson State Community College Public, 2-4 years | Birmingham
Bevill State Community College Public, 2-4 years | Jasper
University of South Alabama Public, four-years | Mobile

compare schools

Trade Schools

Coastal Alabama Community College Public, 2-4 years | Bay Minette
J F Ingram State Technical College Public, Less than 2-years | Deatsville
Brown Beauty Barber School Private, Less than 2-years | Bessemer
Enterprise State Community College Public, 2-4 years | Enterprise
Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology Private, Less than 2-years | Jackson
George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Public, 2-4 years | Dothan
Chattahoochee Valley Community College Public, 2-4 years | Phenix City
Midfield Institute of Cosmetology Private, Less than 2-years | Midfield
Blue Cliff Career College Private, Less than 2-years | Mobile
Lawson State Community College Public, 2-4 years | Birmingham

compare schools

Tuition Trends for Alabama colleges Over Past 10 Years

Cost of Attendance (COA) Changes

Tuition & Fees Changes

Books & Supplies Costs Changes

Living Costs Changes