There are 85 colleges in Alabama - 42 public and 43 private schools. At Alabama colleges, the Cost of Attendance (COA), which includes tuition, mandatory fees, books and supplies, housing, meals, and personal expenses, has consistently increased over the last decade, driving up the overall cost of college.
The total Cost of Attendance has increased substantially at Alabama colleges:
Tuition and fees saw dramatic increases across institution types:
| Institution Type | 10-Year Increase (2016-2025) | 2025 Average Tuition & Fees |
|---|---|---|
| Public, In-State | 26.40% (from $9,056 to $11,447) | $11,447 |
| Public, Out-of-State | 21.50% (from $18,573 to $22,567) | $22,567 |
| Private Colleges | 6.14% (from $16,303 to $17,304) | $17,304 |
Note on Degrees: Undergraduate tuition & fees increased by 21.50%, while graduate program tuition & fees increased by 18.98% over the same period.
Over the past 10 years, the COA has increased 20.19% when living on campus and 24.09% when living off campus at Alabama Colleges.
In private Alabama Colleges, the COA has increase by 11.67% (on-campus) and 15.95% (off-camus). The COA includes tuition, fees, books & supplies, room & board, and other personal expenses.
For the academic year 2024-2025, the total cost of attendance is $38,474 when a student lives on campus and $40,142 when living off campus at Alabama Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of COA for Alabama Colleges over the past 10 years.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | |
| 2015-16 | $22,494 | $32,011 | $29,741 | $22,833 | $32,350 | $30,080 |
| 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% |
| 2024-25 | $27,354 -3.69% | $38,474 -1.75% | $33,211 0.11% | $29,022 -3.70% | $40,142 -1.84% | $34,879 -0.08% |
For the current year (2025), the average tuition & fees for Alabama Colleges is $13,084 for Alabama residents and $24,204 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average tuition & fees is $18,769.
For graduate programs, the 2025 average graduate tuition & fees is $11,733 for Alabama residents and $22,966 out-of-state students. In private schools, the average graduate program tuition & fees is $14,555.
The tuition & fees has increased 21.50% for undergraduate programs and 18.98% for graduate programs at Alabama Colleges. The following table and chart illustrate the changes of tuition & fees by tuition rates and degrees.
| Year | Undergraduate | Graduate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | In-State | Out-of-State | Private Schools | |
| 2015-16 | $9,056 | $18,573 | $16,303 | $8,789 | $18,219 | $11,743 |
| 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% |
| 2024-25 | $11,447 -11.75% | $22,567 -4.90% | $17,304 -2.47% | $10,444 0.29% | $21,677 0.45% | $13,477 3.04% |
For the current year (2025), the average book & supplies costs is $1,127 for Alabama Colleges. The following table shows the changes of book & supplies costs from year 2016 to 2025.
| Year | Books & Supplies |
|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $1,302 |
| 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% |
| 2024-25 | $1,127 -8.08% |
For Alabama Colleges, the living have increased 16.01% when a student lives on campus facilities and 18.54% when living off campus from year 2016 to 2025. The living costs includes costs for room & board, and other living expenses.
| Year | Living On Campus | Living Off Campus |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | $12,136 | $12,311 |
| 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% |
| 2024-25 | $14,780 4.34% | $15,751 2.87% |