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Albany State University

#3 Best HBCUs for Public Health
Public Albany, GA · Urban · Southeast · 87% data
B+ Social Mobility B- Affordability B- Value
Graduation Rate
27% F
Lower completion rate than most colleges
Earnings (10yr)
$40,674 C
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$11,898 B-
31% less than the typical college
Enrollment
5,956
Earnings +0% vs avg
Graduation -53% vs avg
Net Price +-31% vs avg
Mobility Top 16%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — average outcomes for a U.S. college. 20.0× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $20.0 over 20 years. Ranked #3 in Best HBCUs for Public Health.

20.0× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $20.0 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $904,413.

What The Data Says

  1. A C overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.

  2. Graduation of 27% — 53% below the national average.

  3. Social mobility rate of 2.58% — an engine of upward economic mobility.

  4. Every $1 invested returns $20.0 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why Albany State University Matters

Albany State University is a public university in Albany, GA and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a strong record of moving students up the income ladder. The result: durable upward mobility for the students it enrolls.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Public University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
5,956
Setting
Urban
Designations
HBCU
Primary Strengths
Health Professions, Humanities, Business & Marketing, Criminal Justice

Why students choose Albany State University

Engine of upward mobility
A strong record of moving students up the income ladder
HBCU community
A historically Black college with a strong leadership pipeline
Strength in Health Professions
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

C
Top 47% overall
C
Earnings
$40,674 median
B-
Value
3.4× net price
B-
Affordability
$11,898/yr net
F
Graduation
27% graduate
B+
Social Mobility
2.6% climb Q1→Q5
F
Diversity
0.29 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Albany State University has an enrollment of 5,956 students, creating a tight-knit community where individuals can connect and grow. With a focus on a diverse range of top programs, including Humanities, Health Professions, and Education, students can find paths that align with their passions and career goals.

Despite a graduation rate of 27%, the Chetty/Opportunity Insights data suggests that Albany State plays a significant role in promoting upward mobility for its students. Many graduates see earnings around $40,674 within ten years of completing their degrees. This indicates that for some, the university serves as a launching pad for better economic opportunities.

The net price of attending Albany State is about $11,898, making it a relatively affordable option for many students. However, the median debt stands at $25,024, which is important to consider. Students who thrive here often come from diverse backgrounds and are looking for a supportive environment to pursue degrees in practical fields like Business & Marketing and Criminal Justice.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Albany State University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Albany State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Albany State University, located in Albany, Georgia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.

Retention Rate
79%
Full-Time Faculty
70%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$7,257
Student–Faculty Ratio
20:1
Diversity Index
0.29
First-Gen Students
34%

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Albany State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Albany State University is $17,008, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,898. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,693 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,024 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$5,656
Out-of-State
$17,008
Avg Net Price
$11,898
Median Debt
$25,024
Pell Grant Rate
69%
Federal Loan Rate
63%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$10,693
Family Income $30K–$48K
$11,147
Family Income $48K–$75K
$13,785
Family Income $110K+
$17,324

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Albany State University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Albany State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Albany State University report median earnings of $40,674, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$35,579
8 Years
$37,817
10 Years
$40,674
Debt-to-Earnings
0.62x
Earning > $25K
49%

Earnings Trajectory

$35,579 6yr $37,817 8yr $40,674 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (51)
12%
100% (51)
12%
100% (51)
12%
100% (51)
12%

How Albany Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation27%Earnings 10yr$41KNet Price$12KRetention79%Median Debt$25KPell Grant Rate69%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$11K$0-30K$11K$30-48K$14K$48-75K$17K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%23.3%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%11.1%MOBILITY2.58%

College ROI Calculator

Is Albany State University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Albany State University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $11,898/year ($47,592 total). Graduates earn $40,674 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $952,005 in total earnings — a net gain of $904,413 (20.0× your investment). The median debt is $25,024, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 27% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$47,592
Projected 20yr Earnings
$952,005
Net Return
$904,413
ROI Multiple
20.0×
Cost Per Year
$11,898
Median Debt
$25,024
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
27%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Albany State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Albany State University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.58%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 23.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $43,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
2.58%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
11.1%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
23.3%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$59,509
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Albany State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Albany State University. Its economic connectedness score is 0.88, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
0.88
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.04
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
4.0%
Support Ratio
0.99
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Endowment
$4,043,047
Investment Income
$4,136

Top Programs

The fields Albany State University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Albany State University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

Albany State University, located in Albany, Georgia, enrolls students across a range of programs. The graduation rate is roughly 27%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Albany State University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Albany State University is $17,008, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $11,898. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $10,693 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $25,024 in federal student loans.

Is Albany State University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Albany State University report median earnings of $40,674, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does Albany State University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Albany State University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 2.58%, among the highest in the country. Access is a real strength here. Roughly 23.3% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile, a high share that gives low-income students a real foothold. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 11.1% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $43,800, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Albany State University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs around the national average at Albany State University. Its economic connectedness score is 0.88, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.04), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 4% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Similar Schools

Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Albany State University.

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes for 2026 — report cover Download PDF

The 2026 Annual Report

The State of American Higher Education Outcomes

Every state graded on what graduates earn, how far they climb, and what college really costs — the hidden geography of economic mobility, in one report.

Free · 21 pages · 5,745 institutions · 100% federal data, no surveys