R2 ResearchPublicMedical

University of South Alabama

Mobile, Alabama·Public, 4-year or above·Southeast·southalabama.edu
6-yr Graduation
53%
-3.5pp vs R2 Research
Total enrollment
14,003
peer median 14,157
Avg net price
$17,648
+$6.2k vs R2 Research
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Admissions & acceptance rate

First-time freshman admissions: how selective the college is, and how many admitted students choose to enroll.

Applied
12,982
12,982 candidates competed
Admitted
9,212
71.0% acceptance rate
Enrolled
1,939
21.0% yield

Graduation rate & outcomes

Completion, retention, and the equity gap between Pell and non-Pell students.

Overall completion
53%-3.5pp vs R2 Research
4-year graduation
37%
6-year graduation (bachelor’s)
52%
Full-time retention
76%

Pell equity

17.0pp gap
Pell recipients
43%348 of 811
Non-Pell (all)
60%648 of 1080
Subsidized loan, no Pell
57%172 of 300
No Federal Aid
61%476 of 780

Non-Pell students graduate at a 17.0-point higher rate than Pell recipients.

Source: IPEDS Graduation Rates (GR) — Pell/SSL cohort, 2024 cohort.

Program outcomes

Federal Program Performance Data: how each program's graduate earnings and debt measure up under Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment.

Of 135 Title IV programs, 45 pass the federal Gainful Employment test and 1 fails. 89 have graduate earnings too small to publish, so they carry no pass/fail verdict.

Total programs
135
Passing
45
33.3% of portfolio
Failing (GE)
1
0.7% of portfolio
Fail rate
0.7%
+0.1pp vs 0.6% national

Pass / fail distribution

135programs
  • Passing45 · 33.3%
  • No Data89 · 65.9%
  • Failing1 · 0.7%

Severity spectrum

Critical
0
Severe
0
Recoverable
1
At Risk
0
Watch
3
Safe
42
No data
89

Tiers band programs by how far graduate earnings sit above or below the benchmark, from Critical (below −15%) through Safe (above +25%). No data means earnings were privacy-suppressed.

Earnings premium gap

Graduate earnings versus the federal benchmark, worst gaps first.

46
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-4.6%
$29,506 vs $30,927
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
+13.4%
$50,771 vs $44,780
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
+19.5%
$53,511 vs $44,780
Special Education and Teaching
Master's Degree · Education
+21.4%
$54,379 vs $44,780
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
+29.3%
$65,988 vs $51,030
Educational Administration and Supervision
Master's Degree · Education
+30.7%
$58,540 vs $44,780
Linguistic Comparative and Related Language Studies and Services
Bachelor Degree · Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
+31.4%
$40,641 vs $30,927
Hospitality Administration/Management
Bachelor Degree · Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services
+34.2%
$41,515 vs $30,927

Near the line (±5%)

Programs within five points of the pass line, one cohort year from flipping.

1
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
-4.6%
$1,421

Debt vs earnings

Median completer debt against median graduate earnings, highest burden first.

40
Medicine
Doctoral Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
151%
$172,408 debt · $114,506 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
96%
$70,600 debt · $73,218 earn
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions
Doctoral Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
91%
$74,500 debt · $81,627 earn
Student Counseling and Personnel Services
Master's Degree · Education
88%
$44,598 debt · $50,771 earn
Fine and Studio Arts
Bachelor Degree · Visual And Performing Arts
85%
$25,172 debt · $29,506 earn
Allied Health Diagnostic Intervention and Treatment Professions
Master's Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
81%
$100,410 debt · $124,566 earn
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services
Doctoral Degree · Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences
72%
$68,000 debt · $94,463 earn
Teacher Education and Professional Development Specific Levels and Methods
Master's Degree · Education
66%
$35,249 debt · $53,511 earn

Accreditation status & history

Who accredits the institution, current standing, and any past actions.

AccreditedInstitutional accreditor

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Accredited since 1968Next review Jun 2026

Programmatic accreditations · 14

Action history · 22

  1. Nov 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
  2. Aug 2025Loss of Accreditation or Preaccreditation: Voluntary Withdrawal
    American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education · Occupational Therapy (OTM) - Programs leading to a Master's Degree
  3. Jan 2025Renewal of Accreditation
    Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology · Radiologic Technology (RAD) - Programs for radiographers
  4. Dec 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
  5. Dec 2023Renewal of Accreditation
    Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Tuition & cost

What families actually pay, broken down by family income.

Net price by family income

Aid exceeds costFamily pays
$0–30k$12,657
$30–48k$13,265
$48–75k$16,277
$75–110k$23,252
$110k+$25,322

Negative values mean aid exceeds the published cost of attendance for that income band.

Avg net price
$17,648
+$6,234vs R2 Research median $11,415
Federal loans
47.3%
In-state tuition
$10,116
Out-of-state
$19,092

Federal aid volume & trends

Pell grants and federal Direct Loan volume disbursed to students, and how they've trended.

In AY 2024–25, 4,488 students received $28.3M in Pell grants, alongside $118.3M in federal Direct Loans.

Pell recipients
4,488
AY 2024–25
Pell disbursed
$28.3M
$28,263,855 total
Direct Loans
$118.3M
13,266 loan awards

Pell recipients · 5-year trend

4k
20
4k
21
3k
22
4k
23
4k
24

Loan volume by type · AY 2024–25

Subsidized$15.4M
3,821 loan awards
Unsubsidized · UG$15.7M
3,982 loan awards
Unsubsidized · Grad$51.0M
2,900 loan awards
Parent PLUS$19.4M
1,375 loan awards
Grad PLUS$16.8M
1,188 loan awards

Loan awards count each loan type a student holds, not unique borrowers; one student may carry several (e.g. subsidized and unsubsidized), so the per-type figures are the reliable detail.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student loan default rate

The share of student borrowers who default on federal loans within three years, against the national benchmark.

Of 3,891 borrowers who entered repayment, 92 (2.3%) defaulted within three years.

Default rate
2.3%
vs 2.3% national
Borrowers in repayment
3,891
Defaulted
92
Measurement window
3 years
Federal CDR standard

Default rate vs national, by cohort

2016
8.4%
2017
6.9%
2018
6.3%
2019
2.3%
2020*
0.0%
This institutionNational rate

* Cohorts 2020 and later read near 0% because the federal COVID-19 payment pause (CARES Act) suspended defaults nationwide. These years reflect a national policy, not institutional performance; the 2019 cohort is the last measured under normal repayment.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Academic programs at University of South Alabama

Top program areas ranked by completions.

Distinct CIP programs106
UndergraduateOffered
GraduateOffered

Top program families by completions

3,062 total completions
01Health Professions
1,63853.5%
02Biological Sciences
2789.1%
03Business
2658.7%
04Education
2157.0%
05Engineering
1725.6%
06Computer Sciences
1304.2%
07Multi/Interdisciplinary
1244.0%
08Psychology
1203.9%
09Visual/Performing Arts
602.0%
10Communication
602.0%

Enrollment trends & demographics

Fall headcount, 12-month unduplicated enrollment, and student body composition.

Fall total
14,003
12-mo unduplicated
16,245
Undergraduate
10,431
Graduate
5,814

Gender split

Men
32%5,167
Women
68%11,078

Race / ethnicity composition

White
59.5%
Black
23.2%
Hispanic
5.7%
Two or more
5.1%
Asian
3.8%
Non-resident
1.2%
Unknown
0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native
0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander
0.1%

Athletics & Title IX gender equity

How athletic participation, aid, and spending are split between men and women.

Athletes
386
242 M · 144 W
Women athletes
37.3%
Athletic aid
$7.9M
Total student aid
Budget
$32.6M
Total expenses

Men vs women · spending splits

Athletic student aid
$4.7M
$3.2M
Recruiting expense
$583K
$238K
Head-coach salaries
$250K
$97K
Men Women

Sport-by-sport · 11

Football
122 M ·
$13.9M
Track and Field (Indoor)
52 M · 41 W
$793K
Track and Field (Outdoor)
51 M · 41 W
$786K
Baseball
40 M ·
$1.9M
Basketball
14 M · 15 W
$4.5M
Soccer
· 26 W
$1.2M

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Campus safety & crime statistics

Reported on-campus crimes over the last three years, including violence and hate crimes.

Criminal offenses · per 1,000 students
2.54
35 offenses · 13,768 students

3-year trend

2.932 yrs ago2.161 yr ago2.54Latest
Offenses · 3-yr
105
Last three years
VAWA · 3-yr
99
DV, dating, stalking
Hate crimes · 3-yr
0
Res-hall fires · 3-yr
3

Criminal offenses by type

Burglary
10
Aggravated assault
7
Motor vehicle theft
6
Fondling
5
Rape
3
Robbery
3
Arson
1

By location

35total
  • On campus23
  • Non-campus12

Includes 16 in residence halls (a subset of on-campus, not added to the total).

VAWA offenses

27
Domestic violence
0
Dating violence
3
Stalking
30 total under the Violence Against Women Act.

Hate crimes by bias

No hate crimes reported.

Arrests vs disciplinary referrals

CategoryArrestsReferrals
Weapons00
Drugs16
Liquor210

Residence-hall fires

  • Delta 31 fire
    Damage $0-$99
  • Delta 61 fire
    OtherDamage $1,000-$9,999
  • Central House on Stadium Bldg. 131 fire
    A student set fire to a letter and set it in a trash can.Damage $0-$99

Data quality: 3 reports were later determined unfounded across the reporting period and are excluded from the totals above.

Source: U.S. Dept. of Education

Student-faculty ratio

Student-to-faculty ratio and instructional staff counts.

Student-to-faculty
19.0:1
Instructional staff (full-time equivalent)
825

University of South Alabama vs Peer comparison

The peer institutions University of South Alabama selected for federal comparison reporting.

GraduationRetentionSelectivityEnrollmentAffordabilityYield
This institutionPeer median

A larger shape on any axis means this institution outperforms its peers on that dimension. For acceptance rate and net price, lower raw values are inverted so "more selective" and "more affordable" appear larger.

Carnegie
SubjectUniversity of South Alabama
53%14,003$17,648R2 Research
57%49.9%14,311$10,846R2 Research
53%86.2%13,728$15,983R2 Research
62%86.4%11,873$11,864R2 Research
65%53.2%16,154$10,154R2 Research
56%88.5%18,012$10,965R2 Research
Peer group median56%86.2%14,157$11,415

Institutions like University of South Alabama

Explore the federal data for institutions in University of South Alabama's comparison group.

University of South Alabama Institutional Research office

The IR team responsible for the institution's federal reporting.

Team
2 members
  • Julie M. Estis
    Associate Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness
  • Katherine Friedrich
    Director of Institutional Effectiveness

Common Data Set

University of South Alabama's own annual Common Data Set: the most detailed self-reported reference for selectivity, cost, outcomes, and the student body.

Source publications

Frequently asked questions about University of South Alabama

Quick answers to the questions most often asked about University of South Alabama.

What is the graduation rate at University of South Alabama?

University of South Alabama reports a 6-year graduation rate of 53% per the latest IPEDS.

How many students attend University of South Alabama?

University of South Alabama reports a total enrollment of 14,003 students per the latest IPEDS.

What is the average net price at University of South Alabama?

The average net price at University of South Alabama is $17,648 per the latest College Scorecard. Net price is the published cost of attendance minus grant aid.

What is the yield rate at University of South Alabama?

University of South Alabama's yield rate is 21.0%, the share of admitted students who enrolled, per the latest IPEDS.

Where is University of South Alabama located?

University of South Alabama is located in Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002.

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDS2025 provisional data (Fall 2025–26 release, July 28, 2026)
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.
DAPIP accreditationContinuously refreshed
Accreditation status for institutions and programs, reported by recognized accrediting agencies.
Federal Pell Grant volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Pell Grant recipient counts, award amounts, and disbursements by institution and award year.
Federal student loan volumeAY 2025–26 (through Q3), through March 31, 2026
Federal Direct Loan recipient counts and disbursement volume by institution and award year.
Cohort Default RatesFY 2022 official rates
Institution-level federal student loan default rates, measuring borrowers who default within three years of entering repayment.
Equity in Athletics (EADA)Academic year 2024–25
Athletics participation, coaching, revenues, and expenses by sport and gender for Title IV institutions.
Campus Safety & SecurityData through reporting year 2024
Criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary actions, VAWA offenses, and fire statistics reported by campus under the Clery Act.

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