Highest 20-Year ROI Colleges in Alabama
The biggest 20-year net financial gain over a high-school-only earner — tuition and debt already subtracted. Our tax-verified answer to the 20-year ROI question, from IRS-linked federal earnings rather than self-reported surveys.
Showing Alabama
Clear state| # | College | Type | 20-yr net gain | 5-yr earnings | Net price | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | DR Rating | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville, AL | Public | $649,731 | $81,623 | $18,796 | $20,705 | +343% | Strong return | |
| 2 | Columbia Southern University Orange Beach, AL | For-profit | $566,104 | $76,610 | $14,580 | $21,339 | +378% | Strong return | |
| 3 | Samford University Birmingham, AL | Private | $501,846 | $76,972 | $32,622 | $19,500 | +132% | Strong return | |
| 4 | University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham, AL | Public | $353,998 | $66,856 | $18,749 | $22,300 | +163% | Strong return | |
| 5 | University of South Alabama Mobile, AL | Public | $297,404 | $63,854 | $17,648 | $24,929 | +137% | Strong return | |
| 6 | Northwest Shoals Community College Muscle Shoals, AL | Public | $284,600 | $59,696 | $2,838 | $10,000 | +1,477% | Strong return | |
| 7 | Auburn University Auburn, AL | Public | $257,315 | $63,113 | $24,323 | $21,000 | +73% | Strong return | |
| 8 | Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL | Private | $227,109 | $63,850 | $35,013 | $27,000 | +26% | Break-even | |
| 9 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Public | $216,470 | $60,722 | $22,420 | $22,750 | +61% | Break-even | |
| 10 | J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College Huntsville, AL | Public | $188,430 | $55,022 | $6,005 | — | +735% | Strong return | |
| 11 | University of West Alabama Livingston, AL | Public | $185,354 | $57,259 | $12,684 | $24,944 | +105% | Strong return | |
| 12 | Central Alabama Community College Alexander City, AL | Public | $171,969 | $55,376 | $15,996 | $9,766 | +192% | Strong return | |
| 13 | Chattahoochee Valley Community College Phenix City, AL | Public | $165,126 | $53,872 | $4,244 | $10,500 | +621% | Strong return | |
| 14 | Shelton State Community College Tuscaloosa, AL | Public | $148,246 | $53,868 | $14,557 | — | +205% | Strong return | |
| 15 | Troy University Troy, AL | Public | $111,222 | $54,322 | $16,527 | $25,000 | +24% | Break-even | |
| 16 | Enterprise State Community College Enterprise, AL | Public | $106,229 | $51,709 | $12,609 | $7,499 | +140% | Strong return | |
| 17 | Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery, AL | Public | $104,454 | $53,323 | $13,224 | $25,000 | +34% | Break-even | |
| 18 | Alabama A & M University Normal, AL | Public | $91,319 | $53,655 | $17,621 | $31,000 | +6% | Break-even | |
| 19 | Bevill State Community College Jasper, AL | Public | $64,966 | $48,842 | $5,937 | — | +224% | Strong return | |
| 20 | Gadsden State Community College Gadsden, AL | Public | $61,750 | $48,439 | $3,515 | — | +389% | Strong return | |
| 21 | Jacksonville State University Jacksonville, AL | Public | $34,198 | $49,970 | $14,279 | $22,189 | -24% | Poor return | |
| 22 | Northeast Alabama Community College Rainsville, AL | Public | $32,065 | $46,990 | $2,756 | $6,100 | +157% | Strong return | |
| 23 | Southern Union State Community College Wadley, AL | Public | $21,248 | $46,877 | $6,142 | $11,000 | +15% | Break-even | |
| 24 | University of North Alabama Florence, AL | Public | $12,455 | $48,459 | $12,170 | $22,077 | -39% | Poor return | |
| 25 | Huntingdon College Montgomery, AL | Private | $7,697 | $50,390 | $22,566 | $27,000 | -46% | Poor return | |
| 26 | John C Calhoun State Community College Tanner, AL | Public | $627 | $46,016 | $7,660 | $12,000 | -48% | Poor return | |
| 27 | H Councill Trenholm State Community College Montgomery, AL | Public | $-10 | $45,832 | $8,325 | — | -50% | Poor return | |
| 28 | Faulkner University Montgomery, AL | Private | $-4,401 | $49,616 | $22,085 | $23,000 | -52% | Poor return | |
| 29 | University of Mobile Mobile, AL | Private | $-20,865 | $48,916 | $22,382 | $26,500 | -61% | Poor return | |
| 30 | Lurleen B Wallace Community College Andalusia, AL | Public | $-30,964 | $43,731 | $2,792 | — | -327% | Poor return | |
| 31 | George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Hanceville, AL | Public | $-61,128 | $43,461 | $13,170 | $11,000 | -151% | Poor return | |
| 32 | University of Montevallo Montevallo, AL | Public | $-64,478 | $45,750 | $17,683 | $24,000 | -91% | Poor return | |
| 33 | Alabama State University Montgomery, AL | Public | $-74,397 | $45,932 | $20,435 | $31,000 | -90% | Poor return | |
| 34 | Lawson State Community College Birmingham, AL | Public | $-87,550 | $41,250 | $6,275 | — | -399% | Poor return | |
| 35 | Jefferson State Community College Birmingham, AL | Public | $-93,903 | $41,390 | $9,086 | $9,689 | -266% | Poor return | |
| 36 | George C Wallace State Community College-Selma Selma, AL | Public | $-118,604 | $39,997 | $9,272 | — | -370% | Poor return | |
| 37 | Miles College Fairfield, AL | Private | $-119,960 | $42,425 | $14,271 | $31,217 | -138% | Poor return | |
| 38 | Coastal Alabama Community College Bay Minette, AL | Public | $-138,376 | $39,646 | $13,644 | $11,000 | -271% | Poor return | |
| 39 | George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Dothan, AL | Public | $-140,460 | $38,094 | $1,170 | — | -3,051% | Poor return | |
| 40 | Bishop State Community College Mobile, AL | Public | $-172,014 | $36,939 | $5,397 | — | -847% | Poor return | |
| 41 | Snead State Community College Boaz, AL | Public | $-179,978 | $36,490 | $3,249 | $9,000 | -970% | Poor return | |
| 42 | Talladega College Talladega, AL | Private | $-255,026 | $35,880 | $15,560 | $28,500 | -226% | Poor return | |
| 43 | Fortis Institute-Birmingham Birmingham, AL | For-profit | $-267,891 | $34,425 | $25,946 | $12,346 | -288% | Poor return |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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