University of South Alabama acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of South Alabama, a public university in Alabama, reports a 71% acceptance rate and sits in the moderately selective band. In practice that means it admits more applicants than it rejects, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what University of South Alabama weighs, where it ranks among Alabama schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1200, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
What do students study at University of South Alabama?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of South Alabama?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of South Alabama, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of South Alabama?
Your odds at University of South Alabama are not the same as its 71% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of South Alabama in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of South Alabama hard to get into?
University of South Alabama is moderately selective: it admits more applicants than it rejects, with about a 71% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of South Alabama?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of South Alabama, but admitted students often present roughly a 3.2 to 3.7 GPA. University of South Alabama reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of South Alabama by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of South Alabama for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of South Alabama with a 3.1 GPA and a 1080 SAT?
About 83% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1080 SAT, the middle of University of South Alabama's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1190 SAT comes out near 97%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-south-alabama.
How to get into University of South Alabama
Built from University of South Alabama's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at University of South Alabama, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of South Alabama carries about a 3.22 core GPA and a 1140 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 970 to 1190 SAT (20 to 26 ACT). Submit a score at 1080 or higher; below 970, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of South Alabama rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of South Alabama's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.southalabama.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of South Alabama, and how many get in?
University of South Alabama admitted 8,247 of the 12,593 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 65.5%. 1,920 enrolled. Only about 23% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of South Alabama enrolls about 8,879 undergraduates in total, 62% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 19 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of South Alabama?
Admitted students at University of South Alabama post SAT scores of 970 to 1190 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1147. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 20 to 26. A score above 1190 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 970 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of South Alabama is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of South Alabama looks for
What University of South Alabama weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of South Alabama are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of South Alabama's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of South Alabama
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of South Alabama cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of South Alabama (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $25,476 a year. Tuition and fees are $10,116 for AL residents and $19,092 for out-of-state students, a $8,976 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $17,648 a year, and it ranges from $12,657 for families earning under $30,000 to $25,322 for families earning over $110,000. 38% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of South Alabama graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of South Alabama students ten years after entry are $49,379 ($41,307 at the six-year mark). 53% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 76% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $24,929; 47% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of South Alabama compares in Alabama
University of South Alabama ranks #10 most selective of 22 schools in Alabama in our database.
Among the 22 Alabama schools we track, University of South Alabama ranks #10 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like Oakwood University (45%) and Auburn University (46%) sit nearby, which makes Alabama a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of South Alabama
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of South Alabama often weigh University of Delaware, Virginia Military Institute, and Western Illinois University, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of South Alabama's acceptance rate?
University of South Alabama admitted 8,247 of 12,593 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 65.5% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 23% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of South Alabama?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 970 to 1190 on the SAT and 20 to 26 on the ACT. A score above 1190 is in the top quarter of admits. University of South Alabama is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of South Alabama test-optional?
Yes. University of South Alabama reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does University of South Alabama cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of South Alabama, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $17,648 a year against a sticker price of about $25,476. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $12,657 on average.
What do University of South Alabama graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of South Alabama are $49,379 a year among students who received federal aid, and 53% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of South Alabama value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of South Alabama weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of South Alabama favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of South Alabama generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of South Alabama?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of South Alabama specifically.
What are the admission requirements for University of South Alabama?
University of South Alabama reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.