Alabama vs. Vanderbilt

Should I go to The University of Alabama or Vanderbilt University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Alabama or Vanderbilt 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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The University of Alabama vs. Vanderbilt University comparison
The University of Alabama Vanderbilt University College 3 College 4
The University of Alabama Vanderbilt University
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Overview

Alabama Vanderbilt
Location Tuscaloosa, AL Nashville, TN
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 38,644 13,710
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #404 #14
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu vanderbilt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Alabama Vanderbilt
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $58,130
Tuition (Out of State) $31,460 $58,130
Room & Board $14,426 $19,862
Avg Net Price $20,592 $25,606
Avg Grant Aid $15,683 $53,932
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 65%

Admission

Alabama Vanderbilt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 54,072 46,377
Admitted 43,290 3,093
Acceptance Rate 80.1% 6.7%
Enrolled % 18.6% 52.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme
ACT Range 23/31 34/35
SAT Range 1130/1410 1490/1570
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 May 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Alabama Vanderbilt
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Social Sciences (27%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • General Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)

Outcomes

Alabama Vanderbilt
Graduation Rate 66% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $83,100
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 83%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $14,000
Median Loan Payment $245 $144

Diversity

Alabama Vanderbilt
% Men 43% 44%
% Women 57% 56%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 78% 55%
% Black 11% 8%
% Hispanic 4% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 2% 7%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Alabama Vanderbilt
% In-State 35% 9%
% Out-of-State 64% 79%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Alabama is larger than than Vanderbilt based on total student enrollment (38,644 students vs. 13,710 students)

Alabama vs. Vanderbilt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or Vanderbilt?

  • Vanderbilt University is 423.7% more expensive to attend than Alabama for in-state tuition ($58,130.00 vs. $11,100.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 84.8% higher at Vanderbilt than The University of Alabama ($58,130.00 vs. $31,460.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Alabama than Vanderbilt ($20,592 vs. $25,606)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Alabama are 37.7% lower than costs at Vanderbilt University ($14,426 vs. $19,862)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Alabama than Vanderbilt University (82% vs. 65%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vanderbilt University students is 243.9% larger than aid received The University of Alabama ($53,932 vs. $15,683)

Alabama vs. Vanderbilt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Vanderbilt University (1498) is 317 points higher than at Alabama (1181)
  • Incoming Vanderbilt students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Alabama (27)
  • Accepted freshman Vanderbilt students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Alabama (3.76)
  • Alabama has a higher acceptance rate (80.1%) than Vanderbilt (6.7%)

Alabama vs. Vanderbilt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama or Vanderbilt? 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 Vanderbilt and Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Vanderbilt is higher than The University of Alabama (92% vs. 66%)
  • Graduates from Vanderbilt University earn on average $33,200 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($83,100 vs. $49,900)
  • Vanderbilt University students graduate with a $9,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($14,000 vs. $23,750)
  • Vanderbilt graduates are paying $101 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($144 vs. $245)
  • More Vanderbilt graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 59%)

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