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University of South AlabamaMobile, AL · Public

Cost & aid

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $17,417 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $6.9K less than the national median. The 96% who received grants paid $16,074 on average; the other 4% paid the full sticker price of $25,809 in-state / $34,785 out-of-state.

−10% after inflation since 2013–14Over time
Full price, in-state
$25,809 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income

Cost by family income

Per year for a typical family of four with one child in college. Up to $110K it is the average price federal aid recipients paid (2023–24).

Hover, tap, or use the arrow keys to read the price at an income.

$0$10K$20K$0$100K$200K$300K$400K+Full price $26KLittle need-based aid above $110K
  • Published federal figures
View as a table
Price per year by family income
Family incomePrice per year
$0–30K$13K a year
$30–48K$13K a year
$48–75K$16K a year
$75–110K$23K a year
$150KPublished data end at $110K
$200KPublished data end at $110K
$250KPublished data end at $110K
$300KPublished data end at $110K
$350KPublished data end at $110K
$400K and abovePublished data end at $110K
$150K a year

At $150K: Published data end at $110K

Published data end at $110K; use the college's net price calculator for a number.

Your own number depends on the details below, so use the college's calculator for it.

What can change this

  • Savings and investments above a typical amount raise the price. The curve assumes typical assets.
For your family's real number, use University of South Alabama's . It takes about 15 minutes and uses your own income and savings.
Financial aid officeVeterans' benefits
Average total cost per year, all first-years (est.)

$17,417

Tuition, housing, food, books & other expenses, after grants · 2023–24

Full price, averaged across in-state & out-of-state$26,348
− Grants, averaged over every first-year−$8,931

96% got grants averaging $9,329; 4% got none.

= Average total cost$17,417
Tuition & fees$10.2KRoom & board$8.8KBooks & supplies$2KOther expenses$5.3K
Compared to all colleges$17,417
National median: $24,284Below typical

Housing and food use the college's on-campus rates, so the estimate runs high where many students live at home. “Other expenses” is the college's estimate of personal and transportation costs. Loans aren't subtracted because they're repaid.

Who pays what

Received grants · 96%$16,074 averagenet price (in-state students)
No grants · 4%$25.8K / $34.8Kfull price, in-state / out-of-state

Share of first-year students, 2023–24.

Sticker price by residency

RateTuition & feesFirst-years
In-state$9,676$25,80994%
Out-of-state$18,652$34,7856%

Full cost adds books, on-campus room & board, and other expenses ($16,133) to tuition and fees.

Next year (2021–22), reported by University of South Alabama

$17,970 in-state · $27,840 out-of-state before aid

Tuition, fees, and on-campus food and housing · down 3% in-state, up 1% out-of-state from 2023–24.

Show the full next-year estimate
  • Tuition, fees, food & housing$17,970
  • Books and supplies$1,200
  • Transportation$2,300
  • Other expenses$5,370
  • Total for a student living on campus$26,840
Median debt at graduation

$24.9K

≈ $264/month for 10 years

Payback estimate

1.4 yrs

of median salary to cover 4 years of net price

Undergrads with a federal loan47%
National median: 45%About typical

About 1 in 2 undergrads borrows federally.

Median federal debt, by background

Everyone who borrowed and left, whether or not they graduated.

Pell Grant recipients$20,000
No Pell Grant$14,000
Family income under $30K$18,750
$30K–$75K$17,508
Over $75K$16,500

Three years into repayment

Where former undergraduates stand on their federal loans.

  • Paid in full7%
  • Paying it down15%
  • Payments paused42%
  • Not paying it down22%
  • Behind or in default13%
  • Forgiven or discharged1%

Some shares are published as a small range to protect privacy.

Who actually gets aid

34%of full price

Aid generosity

Moderate

Grants cover 34% of the $26,348 full price on average across all first-years (moderate), more than at 35% of colleges.

$8,931 in grants per first-year ÷ $26,348 full price.

Compared to every college34%
34%
← Limitedmore generous than 35% of 1,514Very generous →

Who gets grants and scholarships

Full-time first-year students (1,898), 2023–24

Received grants or scholarships, avg $9,329 No grants

Where the aid comes from

From the college93% · avg $6.2K
Pell Grants44% · avg $6.1K
State or local grants3%
Student loans52% · avg $11.4K

Share of first-year students receiving each; averages are per recipient.

Aid by family income

By family income: only students who received federal aid, because income is only reported for them.

Aid by family income isn't reported.

Applying for aid

For fall 2021 entrants.

To apply for aid: the FAFSA.
Need is calculated with the federal formula.

Priority date: May 31 · Aid offers: on a rolling basis

Dates for fall 2021 entrants; the next cycle's are usually similar.

What the college's own scholarships consider

Academics✓✓
Alumni connection✓✓
Art✓✓
Athletics✓✓
Job skills✓✓
ROTC✓not marked
Leadership✓✓
Music or drama✓✓
State or district residency✓✓

A blank means the college didn't mark it, not that it never counts.

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;College Scorecard, most recent release;University of South Alabama Common Data Set 2020–21, 2021–22;University of South Alabama Common Data Set 2020–21, 2019–20;University of South Alabama Common Data Set 2020–21, Fall 2021 entrants;University of South Alabama Common Data Set 2020–21, 2020–21;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;Common Data Set, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)