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University of Montevallo logo
Public Montevallo, AL · Town · Southeast · 100% data
B+ Selectivity C+ Earnings C Affordability
Graduation Rate
52% C-
About half of students who start complete their degree
Earnings (10yr)
$42,957 C+
Roughly in line with national averages
Net Price
$17,683 C
Close to the national average
Acceptance Rate
54% B+
Selective, but achievable with strong credentials
Earnings +5% vs avg
Graduation -9% vs avg
Net Price 3% vs avg
Mobility Top 75%

Bottom line: A C overall grade — outcomes trail most U.S. colleges. 15.5× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $15.5 over 20 years. Ranked #5 in Best Education Colleges in Alabama.

15.5× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $15.5 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,022,331.

What The Data Says

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

  2. Every $1 invested returns $15.5 over 20 years — an exceptional return.

Why University of Montevallo Matters

University of Montevallo is a public university in Montevallo, 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
Public University
Carnegie Class
Master's University
Enrollment
2,151
Setting
Town
Primary Strengths
Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, Education, Psychology

Why students choose University of Montevallo

Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Strength in Visual & Performing Arts
Its most-awarded field of study

CollegeRanker Report Card

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

C
Top 52% overall
C+
Earnings
$42,957 median
C
Value
2.4× net price
C
Affordability
$17,683/yr net
C-
Graduation
52% graduate
D+
Social Mobility
1.0% climb Q1→Q5
B+
Selectivity
54% admit rate
C-
Diversity
0.55 index

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

How we grade →

Overview

The University of Montevallo has an acceptance rate of 54%, offering students a reasonable chance to join its diverse community of 2,151 enrolled students. This public institution focuses on creating a supportive environment for students pursuing various degrees, particularly in Visual & Performing Arts, Business & Marketing, Education, Psychology, and English & Literature.

Data from Opportunity Insights reveals that graduates from the University of Montevallo earn an average of $42,957 a decade after finishing their studies. While specific mobility rates are not available, this average salary indicates a pathway to financial stability for many graduates. The school's graduation rate stands at 52%, suggesting that while students experience challenges, a significant number do successfully complete their degrees.

The net price for attending the University of Montevallo is $17,683, and the median debt for graduates is $24,000. With 32% of students receiving Pell Grants, the university supports low-income students, making it accessible. Those who thrive here are often passionate about the arts and education, seeking a close-knit campus atmosphere that fosters personal growth and academic achievement.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective University of Montevallo 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 University of Montevallo? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Montevallo, Alabama, University of Montevallo offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 54% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 23. The graduation rate is roughly 52%.

Acceptance Rate
54%
Retention Rate
73%
ACT Midpoint
23
Full-Time Faculty
71%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$9,085
Student–Faculty Ratio
12:1
Diversity Index
0.55
First-Gen Students
33%
Applicants
6,426
Admitted
3,845

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 University of Montevallo? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Montevallo is $26,968, 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 $17,683. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,471 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,000 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$13,948
Out-of-State
$26,968
Avg Net Price
$17,683
Median Debt
$24,000
Pell Grant Rate
32%
Federal Loan Rate
41%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$14,471
Family Income $30K–$48K
$16,104
Family Income $48K–$75K
$18,615
Family Income $110K+
$21,873

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Graduate Outcomes

Is University of Montevallo Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Montevallo report median earnings of $42,957, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

6 Years After Entry
$35,406
8 Years
$39,133
10 Years
$42,957
Debt-to-Earnings
0.56x
Earning > $25K
55%

Earnings Trajectory

$35,406 6yr $39,133 8yr $42,957 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (185)
35%
100% (185)
35%
100% (185)
35%
100% (185)
35%

How University Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation52%Earnings 10yr$43KNet Price$18KRetention73%Median Debt$24KPell Grant Rate32%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$14K$0-30K$16K$30-48K$19K$48-75K$22K$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%7.2%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%14.2%MOBILITY1.02%

College ROI Calculator

Is University of Montevallo Worth It?

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

Yes — for most students, University of Montevallo delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $17,683/year ($70,732 total). Graduates earn $42,957 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,093,063 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,022,331 (15.5× your investment). The median debt is $24,000, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 52% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$70,732
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,093,063
Net Return
$1,022,331
ROI Multiple
15.5×
Cost Per Year
$17,683
Median Debt
$24,000
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
52%

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 University of Montevallo Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Montevallo is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.02%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 7.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 14.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $87,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.02%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
14.2%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
7.2%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$87,700

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is University of Montevallo? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Montevallo. Its economic connectedness score is 1.42, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.42
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
-0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
9.6%
Support Ratio
1.00
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

Investment Income
$-670,904

Top Programs

The fields University of Montevallo awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Each links to its degree guide — with salary, growth, and the schools with the strongest outcomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into University of Montevallo? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a public institution in Montevallo, Alabama, University of Montevallo offers a realistic path to admission, with roughly 54% of applicants receiving an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with a mid-range ACT score around 23. The graduation rate is roughly 52%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend University of Montevallo? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at University of Montevallo is $26,968, 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 $17,683. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $14,471 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $24,000 in federal student loans.

Is University of Montevallo Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of University of Montevallo report median earnings of $42,957, a figure worth comparing against the cost of attendance before enrolling.

Does University of Montevallo Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

University of Montevallo is a measurable contributor to upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.02%, in line with strong performers nationally. About 7.2% of students come from families in the bottom income quintile. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 14.2% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $87,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is University of Montevallo? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at University of Montevallo. Its economic connectedness score is 1.42, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (-0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 10% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

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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