Oakwood University
#9 Best Communications Colleges in Alabama- Graduation Rate
- 47% D+
- Lower completion rate than most colleges
- Earnings (10yr)
- $42,488 C
- Roughly in line with national averages
- Net Price
- $25,669 D
- 50% more than the typical college
- Acceptance Rate
- 45% A-
- Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Bottom line: A C- overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 12.8× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $12.8 over 20 years. Ranked #9 in Best Communications Colleges in Alabama.
Every $1 spent returns $12.8 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,214,856.
What The Data Says
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A C- overall — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges on measured metrics.
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Every $1 invested returns $12.8 over 20 years — an exceptional return.
Why Oakwood University Matters
Oakwood University is a private liberal arts college in Huntsville, AL and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: measurable returns for the students it serves.
Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.
Institutional Profile
- Institution Type
- Private Liberal Arts College
- Carnegie Class
- Baccalaureate · Arts & Sciences
- Enrollment
- 1,153
- Setting
- Urban
- Designations
- HBCU · 95
- Primary Strengths
- Biology & Biomedical, Health Professions, Business & Marketing, Psychology
Why students choose Oakwood University
CollegeRanker Report Card
Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.
Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.
How we grade →Admissions
Selective — admits about 45% of applicants. Run your numbers in the admissions predictor below.
Check your odds →Net price + aid
Students pay about $25,669 a year after grants and scholarships — 50% above the typical U.S. college. See net price by family income below.
See cost & aid →Earnings + debt
Graduates earn a median of $42,488 ten years after enrolling — 4% above the typical college, against $27,000 in median debt.
See outcomes →Mobility + social capital
Strong cross-class social capital — an economic-connectedness score of 1.47 (Opportunity Insights).
See mobility →Overview
Just 45% of applicants gain admission to Oakwood University, a private nonprofit school in Huntsville, Alabama, with a tight-knit community of 1,153 students. The school’s focus on health professions, biology, business, and psychology attracts students looking for a supportive environment and personalized attention.
The data from Opportunity Insights is not available, but Oakwood’s graduation rate stands at 47%. This suggests that while not everyone completes their degree, those who do may find opportunities in sectors like health and business, where graduates earn a median of $42,488 within ten years.
Prospective students should consider the financial aspects as well. The net price of attendance is around $25,669, with a median debt of $27,000. Students who thrive here often come from diverse backgrounds, with 44% receiving Pell Grants. This school is suited for individuals seeking a close community and strong programs in health and business.
Rankings
- #9 Best Communications Colleges in Alabama
- #14 Best Biology Colleges in Alabama
- #16 Best Psychology Colleges in Alabama
- #19 Best Bachelor's Programs in Alabama
- #19 Best Master's Programs in Alabama
- #22 Best Nursing Colleges in Alabama
- #23 Best Business Colleges in Alabama
- #24 Best Colleges in Alabama
Can I Get In?
How selective Oakwood University is — and how your numbers stack up.
Tool
Will I Be Accepted?
Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.
Academics & Admissions
Is It Hard to Get Into Oakwood University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Huntsville, Alabama, Oakwood University reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 45%. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.
- Acceptance Rate
- 45%
- Retention Rate
- 71%
- Full-Time Faculty
- 50%
- Faculty Salary (mo)
- $5,513
- Student–Faculty Ratio
- 11:1
- Diversity Index
- 0.57
- First-Gen Students
- 18%
- Applicants
- 1,446
- Admitted
- 984
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 Oakwood University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Oakwood University is $22,512, 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 $25,669. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,999 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
- In-State Tuition
- $22,512
- Out-of-State
- $22,512
- Avg Net Price
- $25,669
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Pell Grant Rate
- 44%
- Federal Loan Rate
- 57%
What Families Actually Pay
- Family Income $0–$30K
- $23,999
- Family Income $30K–$48K
- $22,444
- Family Income $48K–$75K
- $24,501
- Family Income $110K+
- $27,219
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 Oakwood University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.
Graduate Outcomes
Is Oakwood University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Oakwood University report median earnings of $42,488, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
- 6 Years After Entry
- $30,969
- 8 Years
- $36,092
- 10 Years
- $42,488
- Debt-to-Earnings
- 0.64x
- Earning > $25K
- 42%
Earnings Trajectory
Graduation by Timeframe
- 100% (100)
- 27%
- 100% (100)
- 27%
- 100% (100)
- 27%
- 100% (100)
- 27%
How Oakwood Compares
Dot right of center = above national average.
Net Price by Family Income
What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.
College ROI Calculator
Is Oakwood University Worth It?
A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.
Yes — for most students, Oakwood University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $25,669/year ($102,676 total). Graduates earn $42,488 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,317,532 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,214,856 (12.8× your investment). The median debt is $27,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 47% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.
- Total Cost (4yr)
- $102,676
- Projected 20yr Earnings
- $1,317,532
- Net Return
- $1,214,856
- ROI Multiple
- 12.8×
- Cost Per Year
- $25,669
- Median Debt
- $27,000
- Debt Payback
- Less than 1 yr
- Graduation Rate
- 47%
Does It Change Lives?
Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?
Institutional Finances
Data: NCES IPEDS
- Investment Income
- $-3,922,554
Top Programs
The fields Oakwood 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.
- Biology & Biomedical 21% $18,233 early-career
- Health Professions 18%
- Business & Marketing 15%
- Psychology 10%
- Humanities 8%
- Social Sciences 6%
- Mathematics & Statistics 4%
- Communications 3%
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.
Top Careers
Where these majors tend to lead — common career paths for Oakwood University's most popular programs, ranked by median pay with our proprietary scorecard insights.
- CChief Executive Officer$189,520 · 3% growthAdaptable 64
- C+IT Manager$169,510 · 15% growthAdaptable 52
- C+Marketing Manager$156,580 · 8% growthAdaptable 64
- B-AI/ML Engineer$156,000 · 23% growthAdaptable 52
- B-Computer Vision Engineer$145,000 · 20% growthAdaptable 52
- CPhysicist$142,850 · 5% growthAdaptable 66
- CAstronomer$142,850 · 4% growthAdaptable 66
- CAdvertising Manager$138,730 · 6% growthAdaptable 64
Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get Into Oakwood University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements
As a private institution in Huntsville, Alabama, Oakwood University reviews applications selectively. The acceptance rate runs near 45%. The graduation rate is roughly 47%.
How Much Does It Cost to Attend Oakwood University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid
Published tuition at Oakwood University is $22,512, 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 $25,669. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $23,999 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $27,000 in federal student loans.
Is Oakwood University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI
Ten years out, alumni of Oakwood University report median earnings of $42,488, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.
How Connected Is Oakwood University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Oakwood University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.47, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Similar Schools
Schools with similar outcomes, selectivity, and student profiles to Oakwood University.
- Dillard UniversityNew Orleans, LA · Close peer44% grad $39,196 earn 42% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Johnson C Smith UniversityCharlotte, NC · Close peer34% grad $42,680 earn 45% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Brevard CollegeBrevard, NC · Close peer44% grad $43,545 earn 42% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
- Huston-Tillotson UniversityAustin, TX · Close peer35% grad $42,937 earn 39% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar size
- Reinhardt UniversityWaleska, GA · Close peer39% grad $46,541 earn 62% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar grad rate · similar size
- Anna Maria CollegePaxton, MA · Close peer44% grad $46,651 earn 50% acceptWhy: similar earnings · similar selectivity · similar grad rate
Social Capital
Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas
How Connected Is Oakwood University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks
Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Oakwood University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.47, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.03), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 9% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.
Research Note