University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama · Public · 68.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 69/100 · Fair Value
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) earns a 69 ROI score and lands in Fair Value tier, a meaningful result for a regional public engineering powerhouse. The school sits in the shadow of the Marshall Space Flight Center and the Cummings Research Park, and the data reflects that ecosystem. In-state tuition is $12,132 (out-of-state $26,408), net price $18,796, and total 4-year cost $75,184. Median 6-year earnings of $40,300 climb sharply to $61,767 at 10 years, reflecting the strong engineering and aerospace pipeline. Payback period is 8 years, debt-to-earnings is 0.514, median debt is $20,705. Completion rate is 64.3% and the earnings premium subscore is 76. The drag is the 68.1% three-year repayment rate, which is mediocre and likely reflects the share of UAH students working through degrees while servicing federal loans. Overall, UAH is one of the better engineering-focused public values in the South for in-state students, with structural exposure to federal aerospace and defense employers that gives its STEM graduates a clear runway.
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Quick Numbers
| In-state tuition + fees | $12,132/yr |
| Out-of-state tuition + fees | $26,408/yr |
| Average net price | $18,796/yr |
| Total 4-year cost (net) | $75,184 |
| Median earnings (10yr post-entry) | $61,767 |
| Median earnings (6yr post-entry) | $40,300 |
| Median debt at graduation | $20,705 |
| Estimated monthly loan payment | $220 |
| Estimated payback period | 8 years |
| 6-year graduation rate | 64.3% |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 6,591 |
Data as of 2024-2025. Source: College Scorecard API (U.S. Department of Education).
The Full Financial Picture
The sticker price at University of Alabama in Huntsville is $12,132/year ($26,408/year out-of-state). But sticker price isn't what most students pay. After grants, scholarships, and financial aid, the average student pays a net price of $18,796/year, or roughly $75,184 over four years.
That net price varies significantly by family income. The lowest-income families (under $30,000/year) pay an average of $16,192/year, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,501/year.
The median graduate leaves with $20,705 in federal loan debt, translating to an estimated monthly payment of $220 on a standard 10-year repayment plan. Against median earnings of $61,767 ten years out, the debt-to-earnings ratio is 0.51 - within the recommended range but worth monitoring.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after grants and scholarships, by income bracket.
| Family Income | Avg Net Price/Year |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $16,192 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $16,532 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $18,210 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $20,777 |
| $110,001+ | $21,501 |
Cost by Income Bracket Explained
Lower-income families (under $30K)
Families under $30,000 pay $16,192 net, and the $30,001-$48,000 bracket pays $16,532. For Pell-eligible Alabamians targeting engineering, this is a genuinely workable price point: roughly $64,768 over four years against $61,767 in 10-year earnings, with a Pell-plus-federal-loan funding structure that does not require parent borrowing.
Middle-income families ($30K-$110K)
The $48,001-$75,000 bracket pays $18,210 and the $75,001-$110,000 bracket pays $20,777. The aid curve is well-shaped through the middle income brackets, with reasonable discounts that preserve affordability. Middle-income engineering students at UAH have one of the strongest public-university value cases in Alabama.
Higher-income families ($110K+)
Families above $110,000 pay $21,501 net, only $724 more than the $75-$110K bracket and well below the $26,408 out-of-state sticker. UAH's pricing favors in-state residents heavily, with limited additional aid for higher-income families. The value case remains intact for high-income Alabamians choosing UAH over private alternatives at 2-3x the cost.
Earnings by Major
Top 10 most popular majors at University of Alabama in Huntsville with available earnings data.
| Major | Median Earnings | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $75,430 | C+ |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $95,076 | B+ |
| Mechanical Engineering | $95,341 | B+ |
| Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering | $87,339 | B |
| Business Administration, Management, and Operations | $62,872 | C |
| Biology | $45,992 | C |
| Computer Engineering | $105,920 | B+ |
| Management Information Systems | $78,319 | B |
| Electrical Engineering | $100,296 | B+ |
| Psychology | $27,247 | D |
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.
Registered Nursing
Nursing is UAH's largest program with 176 graduates, posting $63,036 in 1-year earnings and $75,430 at year four. The 0.452 debt-to-earnings ratio against $28,500 of debt earns a C+ grade. RN pay scales with experience and specialization, and the Huntsville hospital ecosystem provides a strong placement pipeline. This is a clean value proposition: a clinical credential with stable demand and earnings well above the state median.
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer and Information Sciences graduates 168 students with $75,159 in year-one earnings, $95,076 at year four, and a 0.293 debt-to-earnings ratio earning B+. Against just $22,000 of debt, this is one of the strongest ROI cases in the dataset for a flagship public computing program. Graduates are placing into the Huntsville defense and aerospace contractor pipeline, where security clearances compound earnings growth significantly.
Mechanical Engineering
Mechanical engineering posts 127 graduates with $73,984 in 1-year earnings and $95,341 at 4 years. The 0.337 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B+ grade against $24,897 of debt. ME is the workhorse engineering major at UAH and feeds directly into the aerospace and defense ecosystem. The earnings curve is consistent with engineers gaining clearances and project leadership responsibility through the first four years.
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering
Aerospace engineering is UAH's signature program with 124 graduates and a Marshall Space Flight Center adjacency that few schools can match. Year-one earnings of $70,383 climb to $87,339 at year four, with a 0.355 debt-to-earnings ratio earning a B grade. Debt of $25,000 against these earnings is comfortably serviceable, and the NASA contractor pipeline (Boeing, Lockheed, Northrop, Dynetics, ULA) makes this a structurally strong placement bet.
Computer Engineering
Computer Engineering posts 79 graduates with $83,909 in year-one earnings, the highest first-year earnings figure at UAH, climbing to $105,920 at year four. The 0.32 debt-to-earnings ratio earns a B+ grade against $26,825 of debt. This is the highest-ROI program at UAH, and the demand from Huntsville defense and aerospace cyber and embedded-systems employers is steady. A genuine top-tier value case.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Nat'l Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.1% | 52.0% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.1% | 62.0% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.8% | 68.0% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.8% | 72.0% |
Completion Rate
Admissions Snapshot
| Acceptance rate | 68.6% |
| SAT Math (25th-75th) | 610-720 |
| SAT Reading (25th-75th) | 600-690 |
| ACT Composite (25th-75th) | 24-31 |
| Enrollment | 6,591 |
| Pell Grant recipients | 24.6% |
| Avg faculty salary (monthly) | $10,639 |
UAH admits 68.6% of applicants, a moderately selective posture appropriate for a STEM-heavy public. SAT mid-ranges of 610-720 in math and 600-690 in reading are notably strong, and ACT composites of 24-31 reinforce that the admitted population skews academically prepared. The 64.3% completion rate is consistent with engineering-heavy curricula, where attrition out of the engineering majors is common but most students who switch internally still graduate.
Compared to Similar Schools
Peer institutions matched by type, size, and selectivity.
UAH's peer set is well-matched. The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) is a larger urban public in the same state with stronger health-sciences earnings; UAB and UAH tend to score comparably in the Fair tier. Alabama A&M is a nearby HBCU public with a different mission and weaker labor-market outcomes. UMKC is a national-comparison regional public. SUNY New Paltz and Empire State University are northeastern publics with different cost stacks. Among directly comparable engineering-heavy regional publics, UAH's $61,767 ten-year earnings figure is competitive, and its aerospace specialization is distinctive.
| School | ROI | Net Price | 10yr Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama in Huntsville (this school) | 69 | $18,796 | $61,767 |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | 75 | $13,310 | $59,637 |
| State University of New York at New Paltz | 68 | $18,809 | $58,073 |
| Empire State University | 61 | $11,676 | $54,080 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | 55 | $18,749 | $54,501 |
| Alabama A & M University | 10 | $17,621 | $40,628 |
Who Thrives Here
UAH fits Alabama and southern in-state students targeting engineering, computer science, nursing, or aerospace pathways with the goal of placing into NASA, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, or the Huntsville defense contractor ecosystem. With 6,591 students and a 24.6% Pell rate, the campus skews middle-class and STEM-focused. Strong fits are technically prepared students with engineering aptitude and an interest in federal-government-adjacent careers. Weaker fits are students seeking humanities or arts pathways; the data shows fine arts and kinesiology programs are weak by ROI.
The Verdict: A Reasonable Bet - With Caveats
University of Alabama in Huntsville offers fair financial value, though the ROI depends heavily on individual circumstances. The net cost of $18,796 per year leads to $75,184 over four years, while graduates earn a median of $61,767 a decade out. The payback period of 8 years is about average - not bad, but not a standout either.
Key strengths include strong earnings premium over high school graduates. However, the data also shows concerning loan repayment rates.
Median debt of $20,705 against $61,767 in earnings is reasonable, though major choice matters significantly. Students in higher-earning programs will see better returns.
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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.