
Two ratings: the overall grade compares colleges the conventional way (outcomes, cost, resources, experience, reputation). The Outcome Rating asks what students earn: 60% wage-adjusted earnings 10 years after enrolling, 25% graduation, 15% retention. Methodology
What happens to students who enroll at University of South Alabama, from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
Typical debt at graduation equals about 50% of one year’s median earnings ten years after entry.
Earnings rank: 53rd percentile among bachelor’s-degree-focused colleges after a partial adjustment for local wage levels (AL wage index 0.78). This drives the Outcome Rating.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, retrieved Oct 2026. Earnings are for federally aided students who enrolled, whether or not they graduated.
Median pay of bachelor's degree graduates by field of study, and how each program ranks against every college reporting that major — by raw pay and adjusted for state wage levels. Same school, very different paychecks.
| Major | 1 yr after | 4 yrs after | vs. national | Rank (pay) | Rank (wage-adj.) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | $81,499 | $100,166 | +-0% | #103 of 258 | #27 | $22,500 |
| Chemical Engineering | $71,116 | $93,943 | -4% | #101 of 158 | #39 | $20,116 |
| Mechanical Engineering | $67,175 | $89,052 | -3% | #214 of 318 | #59 | $24,000 |
| Computer Science | $55,256 | $80,317 | -25% | #298 of 349 | #243 | $25,750 |
| Civil Engineering | $59,547 | $78,187 | -10% | #211 of 233 | #85 | $26,366 |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | $69,447 | $78,024 | -12% | #806 of 966 | #470 | $20,000 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions | $59,611 | $69,490 | -2% | #123 of 253 | #88 | $25,500 |
| Information Science/Studies | $56,344 | $64,455 | -24% | #124 of 148 | #105 | $28,000 |
| Accounting and Related Services | $48,795 | $64,410 | -15% | #625 of 796 | #438 | $26,036 |
| Statistics | $32,181 | $62,719 | -32% | #49 of 50 | #41 | $22,532 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | $41,657 | $62,084 | -26% | #425 of 452 | #352 | $27,000 |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | — | $61,632 | +2% | #64 of 138 | #27 | — |
| Computer Engineering | $59,626 | — | — | — | — | $25,000 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $47,253 | $59,602 | -35% | #442 of 459 | #397 | $26,328 |
| Business/Commerce | $50,515 | $59,513 | -13% | #209 of 271 | #118 | $29,363 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | — | $54,204 | -8% | #167 of 215 | #90 | $21,999 |
| Biology | $25,950 | $54,090 | -5% | #557 of 841 | #294 | $26,000 |
| English Language and Literature | $40,486 | $51,718 | +6% | #197 of 576 | #50 | $21,201 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | $36,216 | $50,822 | -8% | #472 of 660 | #257 | $25,750 |
| Marketing | $38,600 | $50,483 | -27% | #494 of 516 | #450 | $24,974 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | $41,105 | $48,956 | +3% | #296 of 680 | #84 | $25,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | $26,888 | $48,602 | -5% | #232 of 345 | #113 | $26,000 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | $44,348 | $48,021 | -30% | #1123 of 1176 | #1021 | $23,500 |
| Health/Medical Preparatory Programs | $32,868 | $47,019 | -24% | #44 of 48 | #38 | $28,000 |
| Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies | $33,557 | $46,912 | -8% | #43 of 63 | #23 | $26,500 |
| Communication and Media Studies | $30,153 | $46,828 | -17% | #531 of 660 | #367 | $24,870 |
| Social Work | $33,771 | $46,667 | -10% | #348 of 420 | #225 | $28,500 |
| History | $29,744 | $44,887 | -11% | #378 of 459 | #227 | $26,000 |
| Psychology | $23,700 | $43,384 | -14% | #864 of 1027 | #594 | $23,561 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies | $31,630 | $43,023 | -15% | #55 of 63 | #37 | $25,419 |
| Hospitality Administration/Management | $28,310 | $41,515 | -27% | #134 of 137 | #123 | $18,125 |
| Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services | — | $40,641 | -19% | #79 of 90 | #59 | $22,000 |
| Fine and Studio Arts | $20,527 | $29,506 | -29% | #412 of 423 | #376 | $30,066 |
| Music | $27,050 | — | — | — | — | $22,625 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working; small programs are not reported.
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Rankings based on Repit College Grade among schools offering each program.
| Category | In-State | Out-of-State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $8,976 | $17,952 |
| Room | $4,480 | |
| Board | $4,350 | |
| Total Cost (On-Campus) | $25,809 | $34,785 |
| Family Income | Average Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $10,148 |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $11,633 |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $15,456 |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $21,143 |
| $110,001+ | $21,878 |
Programs ranked by number of degrees awarded annually.
Careers that graduates from University of South Alabama's top programs commonly pursue.
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Compare with other 4-Year public institutions of similar size.
Data source: IPEDS 2023-24 | Last updated: October 2026 | Methodology