Alabama vs. Ole Miss vs. CofC

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

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
Location Tuscaloosa, AL University, MS Charleston, SC
Setting Small City Remote Town Midsize City
Enrollment 39,622 24,043 11,729
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #403 #352 #435
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit Non-profit
Website ua.edu olemiss.edu cofc.edu
Team Colors                              

Costs

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
Tuition (In State) $11,100 $9,252 $12,518
Tuition (Out of State) $32,400 $26,820 $36,398
Room & Board $14,840 $12,040 $14,032
Avg Net Price $21,761 $14,946 $20,806
Avg Grant Aid $16,394 $13,070 $9,811
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 78% 81%

Admission

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
Applied 58,418 27,837 26,683
Admitted 44,295 27,218 19,212
Acceptance Rate 75.8% 97.8% 72%
Enrolled % 18.7% 19.2% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.76 3.6 3.94
Typical High School Grades A- B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Average Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 24/31 21/29 24/29
SAT Range 1170/1400 1020/1210 1130/1300
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2026 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (29%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (7%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Business (28%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Social Sciences (5%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Biology (9%)

Outcomes

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
Graduation Rate 66% 60% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,900 $52,700 $46,200
Making Student Loan Payments 59% 60% 60%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,750 $20,000 $21,500
Median Loan Payment $245 $206 $222

Diversity

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
% Men 6% 8% 2%
% Women 10% 13% 7%
Racial Diversity Low Low Very Low
HBCU No No No
% White 78% 78% 80%
% Black 11% 14% 7%
% Hispanic 4% 3% 5%
% Native American 0% 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2% 4%
% International 2% 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 0% 0% 1%

Students

 Alabama Ole Miss CofC
% In-State 36% 30% 38%
% Out-of-State 63% 69% 61%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • The University of Alabama is larger than than Ole Miss based on total student enrollment (39,622 students vs. 24,043 students)

Alabama vs. Ole Miss Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Alabama or Ole Miss?

  • The University of Alabama is 20% more expensive to attend than Ole Miss for in-state tuition ($11,100.00 vs. $9,252.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 20.8% higher at Alabama than University of Mississippi ($32,400.00 vs. $26,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Mississippi than Alabama ($14,946 vs. $21,761)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Mississippi are 23.3% lower than costs at The University of Alabama ($12,040 vs. $14,840)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Mississippi than The University of Alabama (78% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Alabama students is 25.4% larger than aid received University of Mississippi ($16,394 vs. $13,070)

Alabama vs. Ole Miss Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Alabama (1181) is 63 points higher than at Ole Miss (1118)
  • Incoming Alabama students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Ole Miss (25)
  • Accepted freshman Alabama students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.76) than students at Ole Miss (3.6)
  • Ole Miss has a higher acceptance rate (97.8%) than Alabama (75.8%)

Alabama vs. Ole Miss Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Alabama or Ole Miss? 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 Ole Miss and Alabama.

  • The graduation rate at Alabama is higher than University of Mississippi (66% vs. 60%)
  • Graduates from University of Mississippi earn on average $2,800 more per year than Alabama graduates after ten years. ($52,700 vs. $49,900)
  • University of Mississippi students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Alabama graduates. ($20,000 vs. $23,750)
  • Ole Miss graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Alabama graduates. ($206 vs. $245)
  • More Ole Miss graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Alabama students, three years after graduation. (60% vs. 59%)

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