The average graduation rate of Alabama colleges is 42.78%. It means that 42.78% of students have completed their studies within 150% of program length.

For the bachelor's degree (BS) in 4-year Alabama colleges, the average graduation rate is 46.50%, which means 46.50% of students earned BS degree in 6 years after enrolling first year.

In Alabama 2-year institutions (i.e. community colleges), the average graduation rate is 29.36%.

For Alabama colleges, Auburn University has the highest graduation rate of 80.75% among 4-year colleges. For Alabama community colleges, George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville has the highest graduation rate of 45.40%.

Graduation Rate By School Level and Completion Time for Alabama Colleges

The following table compares graduation rates between Alabama colleges. For 4-year colleges, the rates are based on the time it takes to earn a bachelor's degree, which typically requires 4 years of study. Therefore, 100% normal time means 4-year, 125% normal time means 5-years, and the 150% normal time means 6 years.

For community colleges (2-4 year schools) and trade schools, the completion time to measure graduation rates vary depending on the length of the program. For example, 150% normal time for 1-year certificate programs is 18 months and 3 years for 2-years associate degree.

Graduation Rate Comparison between Alabama Colleges
SchoolGraduation Rate
(Completers)
Transfer-out RateRetention Rate
In 100% Normal TimeIn 125% Normal TimeIn 150% Normal Time
Alabama A & M University4-Year College, public12.68%22.51%26.78%34%59%
University of Alabama at Birmingham4-Year College, public44.45%60.63%64.16%15%82%
Amridge University4-Year College, private50.00%-50.00%50%0%
University of Alabama in Huntsville4-Year College, public38.98%59.51%62.95%20%80%
Alabama State University4-Year College, public13.65%23.80%27.73%34%60%
The University of Alabama4-Year College, public54.82%70.25%72.76%18%87%
Central Alabama Community CollegeCommunity College17.38%-21.65%18%62%
Athens State University4-Year College, public-----
Auburn University at Montgomery4-Year College, public14.52%30.65%35.84%31%70%
Auburn University4-Year College, public55.85%77.31%80.75%12%93%
Birmingham-Southern College4-Year College, private58.54%63.72%64.63%27%77%
Chattahoochee Valley Community CollegeCommunity College15.00%-25.77%21%61%
South University-Montgomery4-Year College, private7.14%-7.14%--
Enterprise State Community CollegeCommunity College20.06%-28.97%29%63%
Coastal Alabama Community CollegeCommunity College14.22%-22.46%21%62%
Faulkner University4-Year College, private21.45%30.80%32.53%39%63%
Gadsden State Community CollegeCommunity College13.92%-25.12%4%65%
New Beginning College of CosmetologyTrade School24.00%-58.67%--
George C Wallace Community College-DothanCommunity College20.09%-29.40%16%65%
George C Wallace State Community College-HancevilleCommunity College30.61%-45.40%11%66%
George C Wallace State Community College-SelmaCommunity College24.90%-36.51%12%57%
Herzing University-Birmingham4-Year College, private-----
Huntingdon College4-Year College, private38.27%48.01%50.18%--
Heritage Christian University4-Year College, private---100%100%
J. F. Drake State Community and Technical CollegeCommunity College12.16%-12.16%18%47%
J F Ingram State Technical CollegeTrade School-----
Jacksonville State University4-Year College, public30.91%48.38%52.24%26%66%
Jefferson State Community CollegeCommunity College10.80%-21.59%37%61%
John C Calhoun State Community CollegeCommunity College20.92%-36.08%16%64%
Lawson State Community CollegeCommunity College14.24%-22.85%15%60%
University of West Alabama4-Year College, public28.57%-35.12%36%69%
Lurleen B Wallace Community CollegeCommunity College28.32%-33.58%--
Marion Military InstituteCommunity College23.60%-26.59%55%41%
Miles College4-Year College, private15.42%23.60%26.40%--
University of Mobile4-Year College, private41.70%45.74%45.74%--
University of Montevallo4-Year College, public40.17%51.16%54.76%22%73%
Northwest Shoals Community CollegeCommunity College16.64%-26.83%6%64%
University of North Alabama4-Year College, public30.27%47.62%52.30%23%76%
Northeast Alabama Community CollegeCommunity College30.88%-44.70%5%73%
Oakwood University4-Year College, private33.51%41.82%46.23%--
Reid State Technical CollegeCommunity College32.20%-44.07%--
Bishop State Community CollegeCommunity College16.33%-22.11%19%61%
Samford University4-Year College, private69.47%77.46%77.79%--
Selma University4-Year College, private-----
Shelton State Community CollegeCommunity College12.69%-22.84%19%62%
Snead State Community CollegeCommunity College32.24%-39.86%15%64%
University of South Alabama4-Year College, public31.71%43.63%47.16%30%69%
Spring Hill College4-Year College, private54.81%59.22%61.56%29%81%
Stillman College4-Year College, private7.20%24.80%24.80%18%63%
Talladega College4-Year College, private32.82%36.64%36.64%--
H Councill Trenholm State Community CollegeCommunity College10.84%-20.18%11%58%
Troy University4-Year College, public23.96%39.19%44.86%25%75%
Tuskegee University4-Year College, private32.87%63.30%67.28%--
United States Sports Academy4-Year College, private-----
Bevill State Community CollegeCommunity College19.16%-36.13%16%66%
Southern Union State Community CollegeCommunity College15.03%-24.45%41%68%
Remington College-Mobile CampusCommunity College22.22%-40.33%--
Fortis CollegeTrade School25.11%-55.71%--
Paul Mitchell the School-HuntsvilleTrade School--62.30%--
Blue Cliff Career CollegeTrade School76.00%-76.00%--
Huntsville Bible College4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University-Alabama4-Year College, private-----
Columbia Southern University4-Year College, private16.96%19.30%20.76%--
Paul Mitchell the School-BirminghamTrade School--61.11%--
Fortis College-DothanTrade School30.77%-51.65%--
Fortis College-MontgomeryTrade School19.39%-50.30%--
Fortis Institute-BirminghamCommunity College20.79%-36.63%--
Cardiac and Vascular Institute of UltrasoundCommunity College-----
University Academy of Hair DesignTrade School--72.73%--
The Salon Professional Academy-HuntsvilleTrade School5.56%-77.78%--
Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine4-Year College, private-----
Ross Medical Education Center-HuntsvilleTrade School11.76%-56.47%--
Midfield Institute of CosmetologyTrade School-----
Alabama School of Nail Technology & CosmetologyTrade School--83.33%--
Brown Beauty Barber SchoolTrade School12.50%-75.00%--
Winonah's International School of CosmetologyTrade School1.43%-40.00%--
Troy University-Phenix City Campus4-Year College, public-----
Troy University-Montgomery Campus4-Year College, public-----
Troy University-Dothan Campus4-Year College, public-----
Troy University-Online4-Year College, public-----
Columbia College - Redstone Arsenal4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University-Huntsville Campus4-Year College, private-----
Strayer University - Montgomery Campus4-Year College, private-----
Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology - SaralandTrade School-----