Alabama State vs. CAU

Should I go to Alabama State University or Clark Atlanta University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alabama State or CAU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Alabama State University vs. Clark Atlanta University comparison
Alabama State University Clark Atlanta University College 3 College 4
Alabama State University Clark Atlanta University
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Overview

Alabama State CAU
Location Montgomery, AL Atlanta, GA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 3,828 4,000
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #1016 #971
Religious Affiliation - United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website alasu.edu cau.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama State CAU
Tuition (In State) $8,328 $21,948
Tuition (Out of State) $16,656 $21,948
Room & Board $6,050 $10,982
Avg Net Price $13,176 $30,015
Avg Grant Aid $10,029 $9,431
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 83%

Admission

Alabama State CAU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 6,731 16,153
Admitted 6,502 9,088
Acceptance Rate 96.6% 56.3%
Enrolled % 14.5% 12.7%
Avg High School GPA 2.95 3.28
Typical High School Grades B- B
Admissions Standards Extremely Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/20 16/20
SAT Range 828/1041 880/1120
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jul 31, 2025 Apr 1, 2025

Academics

Alabama State CAU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Education (18%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (11%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (26%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Alabama State CAU
Graduation Rate 26% 41%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $29,500 $38,400
Making Student Loan Payments 20% 30%
Median Student Loan Debt $32,091 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $331 $320

Diversity

Alabama State CAU
% Men 35% 24%
% Women 65% 76%
Racial Diversity Extremely Low Very Low
HBCU Yes Yes
% White 2% 0%
% Black 93% 84%
% Hispanic 1% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 1% 0%
% International 2% 2%
% Unknown Race 1% 13%

Students

Alabama State CAU
% In-State 37% 27%
% Out-of-State 62% 72%

Campus

Alabama State CAU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Clark Atlanta University is larger than than Alabama State based on total student enrollment (4,000 students vs. 3,828 students)

Alabama State vs. CAU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama State or CAU?

  • Clark Atlanta University is 163.5% more expensive to attend than Alabama State for in-state tuition ($21,948.00 vs. $8,328.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 31.8% higher at CAU than Alabama State University ($21,948.00 vs. $16,656.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Alabama State University than CAU ($13,176 vs. $30,015)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Alabama State University are 81.5% lower than costs at Clark Atlanta University ($6,050 vs. $10,982)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Alabama State University than Clark Atlanta University (97% vs. 83%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Alabama State University students is 6.3% larger than aid received Clark Atlanta University ($10,029 vs. $9,431)

Alabama State vs. CAU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Alabama State or CAU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CAU or Alabama State .

  • The average SAT score at Clark Atlanta University (850) is 6 points higher than at Alabama State (844)
  • Incoming Alabama State students have at the same average ACT score (18) as students at CAU (18)
  • Accepted freshman CAU students have a 0.33 point higher average high school GPA (3.28) than students at Alabama State (2.95)
  • Alabama State has a higher acceptance rate (96.6%) than CAU (56.3%)

Alabama State vs. CAU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama State or CAU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CAU and Alabama State.

  • The graduation rate at CAU is higher than Alabama State University (41% vs. 26%)
  • Graduates from Clark Atlanta University earn on average $8,900 more per year than Alabama State graduates after ten years. ($38,400 vs. $29,500)
  • Clark Atlanta University students graduate with a $1,091 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama State graduates. ($31,000 vs. $32,091)
  • CAU graduates are paying $11 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama State graduates. ($320 vs. $331)
  • More CAU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama State students, three years after graduation. (30% vs. 20%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/