25

Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery, Alabama · Public · 91.6% acceptance rate

ROI Score: 25/100 · Below Benchmark

Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release

Auburn University at Montgomery earns an overall ROI score of 25/100, placing it in the Below Benchmark band on CampusROI's framework. Sticker tuition is $9,700 in-state and $20,668 out-of-state, with average net price after grants and scholarships at $13,224. Average earnings six years after entry land at $32,100, climbing to a median of roughly $44,391 by year ten, producing a payback period of about 20.5 years. Median federal debt of $25,000 works out to a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78, which is heavy. Completion is the headline weakness at 32.6% of degree-seeking students finishing within 150% of normal time. Note that net price ($13,224) actually exceeds in-state tuition ($9,700), which suggests fees, room and board, and limited grant aid are pushing the all-in cost above the headline tuition number. The component scores break down as earnings premium 35/100, completion 12/100, payback 26/100, debt-to-earnings 18/100, repayment 23/100. The lowest sub-score is completion rate at 12/100, which is the main weight pulling the overall number down; the strongest sub-score is earnings premium over a high-school baseline at 35/100. Data points here come from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (2024-2025 vintage), and Scorecard earnings carry a 6-10 year reporting lag, so the figures describe recent graduating cohorts rather than this year's incoming class.

Payback Period
20.5 yr
Years until earnings premium covers total investment
Net Price / Year
$13,224
$52,896 over 4 years after aid
10-Year Earnings
$44,391
Median graduate 10 years after entry
Debt / Earnings
0.78
$25,000 median debt vs average earnings 6 yrs after entry
What is behind this school's score

How Auburn University at Montgomery scores under our methodology

These are the College Scorecard measures that pull this school's CampusROI score down. They describe the published figures, not the quality of the education, and they are our reading of the data. Check them against your own aid offer and intended major.

  • ROI Score
    25/100 - Below Benchmark tier of our scale (below 45). For context, 38% of the schools we score reach 60 or higher.
  • 6-year graduation rate
    32.6% - The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our score, since a degree that is not finished rarely pays back.
  • Payback period
    20.5 years - The median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.

Auburn University at Montgomery

25
ROI ScoreBelow Benchmark
Earnings Premium
35(0.18x)
Payback Period
26(20.5 yr)
Debt / Earnings
18(0.78)
Completion Rate
12(33%)
Repayment Rate
23(63%)

Quick Numbers

In-state tuition + fees$9,700/yr
Out-of-state tuition + fees$20,668/yr
Average net price$13,224/yr
Total 4-year cost (net)$52,896
Median earnings (10yr post-entry)$44,391
Average earnings (6yr post-entry)$32,100
Median debt at graduation$25,000
Estimated monthly loan payment$265
Estimated payback period20.5 years
6-year graduation rate32.6%
Undergraduate enrollment2,542

Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).

The Full Financial Picture

The first number you'll see is the sticker price: $9,700/year ($20,668/year out-of-state), which covers tuition and fees only. The net price counts books, supplies, and average living costs on top of tuition and fees, then subtracts grants and scholarships. For the average student here it comes to $13,224/year, or roughly $52,896 over four years. That's the number to plan around.

What you actually pay depends a lot on what your family earns. Families making under $30,000/year pay an average of $11,706/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $16,117/year.

Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $25,000, which works out to about $265 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($32,100) and comes to 0.78, under 1.0, meaning median debt is less than a full year of those earnings.

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.

Family IncomeAvg Net Price/Year
$0 - $30,000$11,706
$30,001 - $48,000$12,309
$48,001 - $75,000$13,202
$75,001 - $110,000$17,387
$110,001+$16,117

Cost by Income Bracket Explained

Lower-income families (under $30K)

Families earning under $30,000 pay an average net price of $11,706 per year here. With expected earnings around $44,391 a decade out, that's a workable number - Pell, state grants, and any institutional aid are doing real work to make it accessible, but families should still model debt carefully across four years.

Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)

Middle-income families ($48,001-$75,000) face a net price of about $13,202 per year. These households typically get less Pell support and partial institutional aid, so the tuition bill is more directly felt. Whether the math works depends on the major: programs with stronger early earnings can absorb this cost; lower-paying majors will produce a longer payback period. Note: the income-bracket data shows inversions where the 75-110k bracket pays more than the 110k+ bracket - that's unusual and likely reflects small-sample noise or aid policy quirks; treat the brackets as approximate.

Higher-income families ($110K+)

Families in the $110,000+ bracket pay an average of $16,117 per year.

Earnings by Major

Top 10 most popular majors at Auburn University at Montgomery with available earnings data.

MajorMedian EarningsGrade
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General$35,798F
Registered Nursing$78,282B
Biology$42,965D
Teacher Education$48,715D
Psychology$41,393D
Kinesiology and Exercise Science$51,429D
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions$63,596B
Accounting$58,430C
Computer and Information Sciences$55,184D
Fine and Studio Arts$31,804F

Earnings reflect median 4-year post-completion (or 1-year where 4-year unavailable). Grades based on debt-to-earnings ratio.

Program Analysis

Why these programs deliver their earnings outcomes.

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General

Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General (CIP 3000) graduates 83 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $30,694 and four-year earnings of $35,798. Median program debt is $31,500 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 1.03, which is heavy. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of F.

Registered Nursing

Registered Nursing (CIP 5138) graduates 80 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $69,625 and four-year earnings of $78,282. Median program debt is $26,375 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.38, which is manageable. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of B. Nursing graduates typically enter clinical settings with strong wage floors and transferable licensure, which is why these programs hold up even at high cost.

Biology

Biology (CIP 2601) graduates 59 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $31,385 and four-year earnings of $42,965. Median program debt is $31,000 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.99, which is heavy. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of D. Health-adjacent bachelor's majors often need a graduate or licensure step to hit the earnings figures shown; budget for that next step in the financing plan.

Teacher Education

Teacher Education (CIP 1312) graduates 40 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $41,081 and four-year earnings of $48,715. Median program debt is $30,750 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.75, which is tight. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of D. Teacher education leads to relatively low-volatility employment but capped wages, so debt management matters more than at higher-earning majors.

Psychology

Psychology (CIP 4201) graduates 40 students per year. Reported median first-year earnings of $30,538 and four-year earnings of $41,393. Median program debt is $26,800 against a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.88, which is heavy. CampusROI assigns this program an ROI grade of D. Psychology bachelor's-level outcomes are weak unless paired with graduate study; the debt-to-earnings ratio here reflects that reality.

How Graduates Do

Earnings

6 years after entry (average)$32,100
-$9,700 vs. HS grad
10 years after entry (median)$44,391
+$2,591 vs. HS grad
Annual earnings premium$2,591
Over median HS graduate ($41,800, NCES 2022)

Loan Repayment

MetricThis SchoolMedian of schools we score
1-year repayment58.5%68.8%
3-year repayment63.4%73.6%
5-year repayment46.0%67.7%
7-year repayment52.8%72.8%

Completion Rate

0%National avg (NCES, 2022): 64.0%100%
32.6%
6-year rate

Trends Over Time

How Auburn University at Montgomery’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).

Average Net Price

Net price
$16K$12K$8K$4K$0
'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24

Completion Rate

Completion rate
38%28%19%9%0%
'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24

Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)

Median earnings
$47K$35K$23K$12K$0
'09'11'12'13'14'20

Earnings reflect borrowers measured 10 years after entry and publish on an irregular cadence with a multi-year reporting lag, so this series shows only the years the Department of Education reported - the data is never interpolated.

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, release years shown. Net price and completion are reported annually.

Admissions Snapshot

Acceptance rate91.6%
SAT Math (25th-75th)498-600
SAT Reading (25th-75th)538-603
ACT Composite (25th-75th)18-24
Enrollment2,542
Pell Grant recipients42.4%
Avg faculty salary (monthly)$8,974

The school admits roughly 91.6% of applicants, putting it in the broad-access category (SAT Math 25th-75th of 498-600; SAT Reading 25th-75th of 538-603; ACT Composite 25th-75th of 18-24). For prepared students with solid high school records the admit decision is unlikely to be the binding constraint here. Selectivity correlates loosely with completion in Scorecard data, and at 32.6% this campus's completion rate is consistent with the broad-access profile.

Compared to Similar Schools

Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.

Auburn University at Montgomery sits at ROI 25 with 20.5yr payback.

SchoolROINet Price10yr Earnings
Auburn University at Montgomery (this school)
25
$13,224$44,391
University of Alabama at Birmingham
55
$18,749$54,501
Rogers State University
28
$15,314$43,166
Cameron University
20
$10,912$40,118
University of Guam
20
$8,598$35,946
Alabama A & M University
10
$17,621$40,628

Who Thrives Here

Strong fit profile is a focused, locally-rooted student who has a clear major in mind and needs the in-state pricing and small-campus scale to make the math work. Be honest about completion: at this rate, a meaningful share of students who enroll do not finish, and incomplete degrees produce the worst ROI of any path. Median earnings ten years out of $44,391 should be the honest yardstick for whether the price the family will actually pay (see the income-bracket breakdown below) leads to a workable post-graduation budget.

The Verdict: Below Benchmark Under Our Scoring

Below Benchmark

Under our methodology, Auburn University at Montgomery scores 25/100, which falls in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At a net price of $13,224 per year, with typical graduate earnings of $44,391 ten years after entry, we estimate the payback period at about 20.5 years. In our view that makes the financial case a hard one to make on the numbers alone, but those numbers are averages: your major, your aid package and what you want from a degree all change the picture, so run your own numbers before you commit.

What to keep an eye on: weak earnings relative to cost, its 32.6% graduation rate, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78 (median across the schools we score: 0.61), a three-year loan repayment rate of 63.4% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%), a long payback period.

Median debt of $25,000 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. Your major - and how much you borrow - really matters.

Auburn University at Montgomery: Common Questions

Is Auburn University at Montgomery worth it?

In our view, the financial case is a hard one to make on the numbers alone. Auburn University at Montgomery scores 25/100 on our ROI scale, in the Below Benchmark tier (below 45). At $13,224 a year after aid against $44,391 in typical earnings ten years out, we estimate the payback period at about 20.5 years. Your major and aid package can change the picture, so run your own numbers.

How much does Auburn University at Montgomery cost after financial aid?

The average net price - the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, books, supplies and average living costs) minus grants and scholarships, for full-time, first-time students receiving federal aid - is about $13,224 a year, or roughly $52,896 over four years. Because it counts living costs, it can run above tuition alone. That is the number to plan around. Actual cost varies by family income, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard.

What do Auburn University at Montgomery graduates earn?

The typical graduate earns about $44,391 ten years after enrolling, roughly $2,591 a year more than the median high-school graduate ($41,800, per NCES, 2022). That earnings gap is what has to cover the cost of the degree.

How long does it take to pay off Auburn University at Montgomery?

We estimate the payback period - the time it takes for the earnings bump over a high-school graduate to cover what you spent - at about 20.5 years for Auburn University at Montgomery. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.

How much debt do Auburn University at Montgomery graduates take on?

Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $25,000, against average earnings of $32,100 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.78. That is under 1.0 (a full year of those earnings); the median across the schools we score is about 0.61. How much you borrow really matters.

What is the graduation rate at Auburn University at Montgomery?

The six-year graduation rate is 32.6%. The national average for four-year schools is 64% (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.

Rankings & Links

Guides & Tools

Data: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education)

Vintage: 2024-2025 · Last updated: 2026-03-25

Earnings reflect median outcomes for all federal financial aid recipients. Individual results vary by major, effort, and career path.