Paying for college · Alabama
What college really costs in Alabama
Average yearly net price after grants at 64 four-year colleges, lowest first. The figure for families earning under $30,000 shows how far need-based aid goes at each school.
Alabama state grants
- Alabama Student Assistance Program (ASAP): $300 to $5,000 a year; your college sets the amount
- Alabama Student Grant Program: Up to $3,000 a year; the amount changes each year with available funds
- Federal Pell Grant: up to $7,395 a year (2026–27)
Working while you study
$7.25/hour minimum wage
Alabama has no state minimum wage law, so the federal minimum wage applies.
All four-year colleges in Alabama
| College | Avg net price | Income under $30k | Graduate | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| George C Wallace Community College-DothanDothan · public | $772 | — | — | — |
| Gadsden State Community CollegeGadsden · public | $2,125 | $1,942 | — | — |
| Snead State Community CollegeBoaz · public | $2,991 | $2,355 | — | $8,886 |
| Midfield Institute of CosmetologyMidfield · private | $3,150 | — | — | — |
| Northwest Shoals Community CollegeMuscle Shoals · public | $4,245 | $3,106 | — | $8,000 |
| Bevill State Community CollegeJasper · public | $4,857 | $5,019 | — | — |
| United States Sports UniversityDaphne · private | $5,316 | $5,746 | — | — |
| Jefferson State Community CollegeBirmingham · public | $5,500 | $4,060 | — | $11,250 |
| Northeast Alabama Community CollegeRainsville · public | $5,811 | $4,274 | — | $7,485 |
| Southern Union State Community CollegeWadley · public | $5,984 | $5,859 | — | $9,000 |
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical CollegeHuntsville · public | $6,048 | — | — | — |
| Lurleen B Wallace Community CollegeAndalusia · public | $6,092 | $6,418 | — | — |
| Lawson State Community CollegeBirmingham · public | $6,248 | $6,507 | — | — |
| Chattahoochee Valley Community CollegePhenix City · public | $6,561 | $5,654 | — | $12,000 |
| John C Calhoun State Community CollegeTanner · public | $7,874 | $6,712 | — | $12,250 |
| Enterprise State Community CollegeEnterprise · public | $8,461 | $8,085 | — | $11,000 |
| Central Alabama Community CollegeAlexander City · public | $8,615 | $8,219 | — | $7,250 |
| Bishop State Community CollegeMobile · public | $8,644 | $8,761 | — | — |
| H Councill Trenholm State Community CollegeMontgomery · public | $8,855 | $8,607 | — | — |
| Shelton State Community CollegeTuscaloosa · public | $8,931 | $8,668 | — | — |
| George C Wallace State Community College-SelmaSelma · public | $9,601 | $9,399 | — | — |
| Alabama State UniversityMontgomery · public | $9,775 | $9,928 | 31% | $28,197 |
| University Academy of Hair DesignTuscaloosa · private | $10,155 | — | — | $9,833 |
| Marion Military InstituteMarion · public | $10,207 | $8,795 | — | $8,250 |
| Coastal Alabama Community CollegeBay Minette · public | $11,098 | $9,769 | — | $10,500 |
| University of West AlabamaLivingston · public | $11,531 | $11,456 | 35% | $23,250 |
| George C Wallace State Community College-HancevilleHanceville · public | $11,727 | $11,672 | — | $10,500 |
| New Beginning College of CosmetologyAlbertville · private | $12,897 | $12,127 | — | $8,555 |
| Talladega CollegeTalladega · private | $13,528 | $8,772 | 44% | $30,297 |
| Paul Mitchell the School-BirminghamHoover · private | $13,608 | $10,984 | — | $9,833 |
| Auburn University at MontgomeryMontgomery · public | $13,789 | $12,456 | 35% | $25,094 |
| Troy UniversityTroy · public | $13,943 | $13,361 | 50% | $25,000 |
| Stillman CollegeTuscaloosa · private | $14,781 | $14,705 | 32% | $25,099 |
| University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham · public | $15,630 | $13,073 | 66% | $21,250 |
| Miles CollegeFairfield · private | $16,497 | — | 19% | $25,500 |
| Winonah's International School of CosmetologyHoover · private | $16,749 | — | — | $7,916 |
| University of South AlabamaMobile · public | $16,801 | $13,027 | 55% | $22,000 |
| Jacksonville State UniversityJacksonville · public | $17,111 | $16,328 | 48% | $21,767 |
| University of North AlabamaFlorence · public | $17,850 | $16,448 | 56% | $19,933 |
| Alabama A & M UniversityNormal · public | $18,255 | $17,406 | 28% | $27,204 |
| University of MontevalloMontevallo · public | $18,760 | $18,479 | 56% | $22,500 |
| Fortis College-MontgomeryMontgomery · private | $18,798 | — | — | $11,083 |
| Heritage Christian UniversityFlorence · private | $18,974 | — | — | — |
| Fortis CollegeMobile · private | $19,589 | — | — | $11,083 |
| Fortis College-DothanDothan · private | $19,894 | $19,425 | — | $12,483 |
| University of AlabamaTuscaloosa · public | $20,202 | $18,067 | 74% | $21,500 |
| Alabama School of Nail Technology & CosmetologyJackson · private | $20,372 | — | — | $9,833 |
| Ross Medical Education Center-HuntsvilleHuntsville · private | $21,045 | — | — | $8,994 |
| Spring Hill CollegeMobile · private | $21,545 | $16,940 | 61% | $23,500 |
| Remington College-Mobile CampusMobile · private | $21,665 | — | — | $9,500 |
| Huntingdon CollegeMontgomery · private | $21,852 | $19,096 | 48% | $27,000 |
| Fortis Institute-BirminghamBirmingham · private | $22,720 | $22,531 | — | $12,728 |
| University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville · public | $22,758 | $20,512 | 62% | $20,550 |
| Faulkner UniversityMontgomery · private | $23,416 | $23,744 | 37% | $23,275 |
| Herzing University-BirminghamBirmingham · private | $23,649 | $22,221 | 27% | $17,676 |
| South University-MontgomeryMontgomery · private | $23,872 | — | 12% | $26,417 |
| University of MobileMobile · private | $23,931 | $18,316 | 57% | $25,000 |
| The Salon Professional Academy-HuntsvilleHuntsville · private | $24,613 | — | — | — |
| Blue Cliff Career CollegeMobile · private | $25,137 | — | — | $7,917 |
| Auburn UniversityAuburn · public | $25,424 | $19,536 | 82% | $19,500 |
| Oakwood UniversityHuntsville · private | $26,827 | $24,178 | 47% | $27,000 |
| Brown Beauty Barber SchoolBessemer · private | $28,850 | — | — | — |
| Samford UniversityBirmingham · private | $32,950 | $25,299 | 78% | $19,500 |
| Tuskegee UniversityTuskegee · private | $40,141 | $40,091 | 55% | $25,795 |
Linked colleges have a full funding guide. More are added every week.
Short of what aid covers?
Students in Alabama use My Study Fund to collect monthly support from family, friends and mentors, and receive every dollar.
Sources
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; state program pages linked above, checked 2026-10-28. Four-year, campus-based public and private nonprofit colleges with complete net-price data.