University of Alabama in Huntsville
Huntsville, Alabama · Public · 68.6% acceptance rate
ROI Score: 69/100 · Fair Value
Data: 2024-25 College Scorecard release
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. In-state tuition is $12,132 (out-of-state $26,408), net price $18,796, and total 4-year cost $75,184. Average 6-year earnings of $40,300 climb sharply to a median $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 a good engineering-focused public value 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 |
| Average 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 first number you'll see is the sticker price: $12,132/year ($26,408/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 $18,796/year, or roughly $75,184 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 $16,192/year here, while families earning over $110,000 pay $21,501/year.
Among graduates who borrowed, the median federal loan debt from this school is $20,705, which works out to about $220 a month on the standard 10-year repayment plan. Our debt-to-earnings ratio divides that debt by average earnings six years after entry ($40,300) and comes to 0.51, 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 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.
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.
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+. 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
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.
How Graduates Do
Earnings
Loan Repayment
| Metric | This School | Median of schools we score |
|---|---|---|
| 1-year repayment | 64.1% | 68.8% |
| 3-year repayment | 68.1% | 73.6% |
| 5-year repayment | 58.8% | 67.7% |
| 7-year repayment | 64.8% | 72.8% |
Completion Rate
Trends Over Time
How University of Alabama in Huntsville’s cost and outcomes have moved across College Scorecard releases (2009-2024).
Average Net Price
Completion Rate
Median Earnings, 10 Years After Entry (as reported)
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 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 ten-year earnings are $61,767, 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 is a fair-value bet, but how well it pays off depends a lot on you. At $18,796 a year after aid ($75,184 over four years), with the typical graduate earning $61,767 a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
What it has going for it: a strong earnings premium over high school graduates. What to keep an eye on: a three-year loan repayment rate of 68.1% (median across the schools we score: 73.6%).
Median debt of $20,705 among graduates who borrowed, against average earnings of $40,300 six years after entry, gives a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51, under the 1.0 point at which debt would equal a full year of those earnings. Your major matters a lot here: graduates in higher-earning fields will see the better end of this.
University of Alabama in Huntsville: Common Questions
Is University of Alabama in Huntsville worth it?
In our view, it's a fair-value bet - whether University of Alabama in Huntsville is worth it depends a lot on your major and aid package. It scores 69/100 on our ROI scale. At $18,796 a year after aid ($75,184 over four years) against $61,767 in typical earnings a decade out, the cost takes about 8 years to earn back. For context, the median payback across the schools we score is about 12 years.
How much does University of Alabama in Huntsville 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 $18,796 a year, or roughly $75,184 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 University of Alabama in Huntsville graduates earn?
The typical graduate earns about $61,767 ten years after enrolling, roughly $19,967 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 University of Alabama in Huntsville?
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 8 years for University of Alabama in Huntsville. The median across the schools we track is about 12 years.
How much debt do University of Alabama in Huntsville graduates take on?
Among graduates who borrowed, median federal loan debt from this school is about $20,705, against average earnings of $40,300 six years after entry - a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.51. In our view that is reasonable, though your major matters: higher-earning fields will see the better end of it.
What is the graduation rate at University of Alabama in Huntsville?
The six-year graduation rate is 64.3%, at or above the 64% national average for four-year schools (NCES, 2022). Completion is 15% of our ROI score, since a degree you don't finish rarely pays back.
NewsletterCollege decisions are better with data.
From CampusROI, when there is something worth acting on.
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.