In-state vs. out-of-state tuition at Alabama
Alabama charges $12,180 a year in published tuition and fees for Alabama residents, about $6,090 a semester, and $34,172 a year for students from other states, about $17,086 a semester, a difference of $21,992. About 60% of first-year students came from out of state. You may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Compare out-of-state tuition at 100 public universities →
How Alabama's admissions have changed
Alabama received 61,994 first-year applications for fall 2025, 1.6 times the 38,129 it received for fall 2017. Admitted students grew more slowly, from 30,416 to 44,124, so the acceptance rate fell from 80% to 71%.
The chart shows the acceptance rate for all first-year applicants: in-state, out-of-state and international together. Source: Alabama's Office of Institutional Research and Assessment, first-time undergraduate admissions, fall 2017–2025. A falling acceptance rate mostly reflects more applications, not a smaller class. Acceptance rates are a starting point, not a prediction.
What makes Alabama different
- A strong pull from out of state. About 60% of first-year students come from other states, one of the highest shares among SEC public universities.
- Business and health at scale. Marketing, finance, nursing and general business are among its largest majors.
- An Honors College across majors. Qualifying students in any field can join the Honors College for smaller classes and honors housing.
What Alabama students study
The most common bachelor's degrees (class of 2024): marketing (476), finance (454), nursing (360), psychology (342), business (270) and criminology (266). Source: IPEDS Completions, first majors only.
You may thrive at Alabama if…
- You want a big campus with a strong game-day culture.
- You're interested in business, health or communication.
- You'd like to go to college in a different state and want a large out-of-state community.
Worth asking about
- Which merit scholarships are available to out-of-state students, and what do they require?
- How do you apply to the Honors College, and what does it add?
How Alabama compares with the other SEC schools
Alabama draws more of its students from out of state than most SEC publics. See how the 16 SEC schools differ.
FAQ
What is Alabama's acceptance rate? 71.2% for fall 2025: 44,124 of 61,994 first-year applicants were admitted, according to its Office of Institutional Research. Source For fall 2024 it was 76.6%.
What is Alabama's out-of-state acceptance rate? Federal data doesn't separate acceptance rates for in-state and out-of-state applicants. Alabama admitted 71.2% of all applicants for fall 2025, and 60% of first-year students came from out of state. Out-of-state tuition and fees are $34,172 a year before aid; you may pay less if receiving grants or scholarships. Some universities publish their own in-state and out-of-state figures, so it's worth asking the Alabama admissions office.
What is Alabama known for? Its large out-of-state student body, business and nursing programs, and its game-day traditions.
How much does Alabama cost? Published tuition and fees are $12,180 a year in-state and $34,172 out-of-state, before any aid.
How much is Alabama tuition per semester? About $6,090 a semester for Alabama residents and $17,086 for out-of-state students, based on published yearly tuition and fees of $12,180 and $34,172 before aid.
Is Alabama an R1 university? Yes. In the 2025 Carnegie Classifications, The University of Alabama is an R1 university, the group with the highest research spending and doctoral degrees. What R1 means →
How many students go to Alabama? About 33,200 undergraduates (fall 2024).
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