Top 50 Best Associate Degree Programs in Alabama by ROI

Every Associate Degree program in Alabama ranked by estimated 20-year net return on investment across all majors. Data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Programs in Alabama

117

Colleges with salary data

Average 20-Yr Net ROI

-$106,990

Across all Alabama programs

Average Annual Cost

$16,801

Cost of attendance

#	College	Major	20-Yr Net ROI	Median Salary	Annual Cost	Avg Debt
1	Columbia Southern University Grad rate: 35.0%	Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians.	+$459,197	$67,888	$18,002	$16,710	Full ROI →
2	Shelton State Community College Grad rate: 22.2%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$429,286	$65,125	$16,607	N/A	Full ROI →
3	Columbia Southern University Grad rate: 35.0%	Fire Protection.	+$421,561	$65,587	$18,002	$10,500	Full ROI →
4	Coastal Alabama Community College Grad rate: 24.1%	Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians.	+$389,438	$62,989	$15,171	N/A	Full ROI →
5	Gadsden State Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Electrical Engineering Technologies/Technicians.	+$382,766	$62,207	$10,687	N/A	Full ROI →
6	Chattahoochee Valley Community College Grad rate: 30.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$334,522	$61,184	$12,032	$18,588	Full ROI →
7	Lurleen B Wallace Community College Grad rate: 37.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$318,089	$59,568	$10,223	$9,500	Full ROI →
8	Lurleen B Wallace Community College Grad rate: 37.5%	Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technology.	+$314,074	$58,726	$10,223	N/A	Full ROI →
9	George C Wallace State Community College-Selma Grad rate: 37.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$298,280	$59,282	$9,505	$21,000	Full ROI →
10	Herzing University-Birmingham Grad rate: 29.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$284,672	$61,080	$27,195	$31,509	Full ROI →
11	Bishop State Community College Grad rate: 22.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$246,802	$56,590	$11,530	$16,250	Full ROI →
12	Columbia Southern University Grad rate: 35.0%	Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities.	+$227,879	$56,269	$18,002	$15,923	Full ROI →
13	Strayer University-Alabama	Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management.	+$218,569	$57,214	$23,838	$28,174	Full ROI →
14	John C Calhoun State Community College Grad rate: 38.1%	Industrial Production Technologies/Technicians.	+$201,126	$54,135	$12,687	$12,000	Full ROI →
15	Bevill State Community College Grad rate: 39.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$200,171	$54,393	$15,238	$12,750	Full ROI →
16	Southern Union State Community College Grad rate: 25.6%	Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants.	+$194,746	$53,279	$15,417	N/A	Full ROI →
17	Coastal Alabama Community College Grad rate: 24.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$193,726	$54,395	$15,171	$17,653	Full ROI →
18	Jefferson State Community College Grad rate: 22.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$193,205	$54,204	$14,384	$16,375	Full ROI →
19	Central Alabama Community College Grad rate: 22.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$192,534	$54,686	$19,815	$15,967	Full ROI →
20	Bevill State Community College Grad rate: 39.1%	Electrical and Power Transmission Installers.	+$179,744	$52,511	$15,238	N/A	Full ROI →
21	Gadsden State Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$178,078	$52,705	$10,687	$10,850	Full ROI →
22	Snead State Community College Grad rate: 43.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$178,005	$53,142	$12,583	$14,569	Full ROI →
23	George C Wallace Community College-Dothan Grad rate: 28.4%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$177,767	$52,510	$9,863	$9,412	Full ROI →
24	University of West Alabama Grad rate: 38.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$169,304	$54,452	$22,402	$25,875	Full ROI →
25	Southern Union State Community College Grad rate: 25.6%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$163,318	$52,602	$15,417	$13,250	Full ROI →
26	Gadsden State Community College Grad rate: 28.2%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$159,846	$51,061	$10,687	N/A	Full ROI →
27	Fortis College Grad rate: 50.7%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$139,771	$54,062	$27,451	$34,494	Full ROI →
28	George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Grad rate: 46.8%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$128,269	$51,402	$18,748	$16,500	Full ROI →
29	Jefferson State Community College Grad rate: 22.4%	Engineering Technology, General.	+$126,952	$49,786	$14,384	N/A	Full ROI →
30	Herzing University-Birmingham Grad rate: 29.4%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$116,236	$51,759	$27,195	$18,188	Full ROI →
31	Shelton State Community College Grad rate: 22.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$109,246	$50,068	$16,607	$14,000	Full ROI →
32	Troy University Grad rate: 46.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$106,546	$51,487	$21,816	$29,305	Full ROI →
33	Northeast Alabama Community College Grad rate: 39.2%	Heavy/Industrial Equipment Maintenance Technologies.	+$106,520	$48,388	$10,620	N/A	Full ROI →
34	Jefferson State Community College Grad rate: 22.4%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$93,652	$48,121	$14,384	N/A	Full ROI →
35	Columbia Southern University Grad rate: 35.0%	Criminal Justice and Corrections.	+$80,440	$48,975	$18,002	$17,078	Full ROI →
36	John C Calhoun State Community College Grad rate: 38.1%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$79,050	$48,439	$12,687	$18,041	Full ROI →
37	Jefferson State Community College Grad rate: 22.4%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	+$78,432	$47,360	$14,384	N/A	Full ROI →
38	Northeast Alabama Community College Grad rate: 39.2%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	+$72,440	$46,684	$10,620	N/A	Full ROI →
39	Lurleen B Wallace Community College Grad rate: 37.5%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	+$32,634	$44,654	$10,223	N/A	Full ROI →
40	John C Calhoun State Community College Grad rate: 38.1%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	+$3,998	$44,419	$12,687	$14,080	Full ROI →
41	Jefferson State Community College Grad rate: 22.4%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$459	$44,622	$14,384	$17,875	Full ROI →
42	Northwest Shoals Community College Grad rate: 29.5%	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing.	-$8,705	$43,540	$10,894	$13,124	Full ROI →
43	Remington College-Mobile Campus Grad rate: 43.8%	Electromechanical Instrumentation and Maintenance Technologies/Technicians.	-$9,250	$46,149	$32,615	$20,000	Full ROI →
44	George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Grad rate: 46.8%	Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions.	-$14,161	$44,348	$18,748	$17,500	Full ROI →
45	Strayer University-Alabama	Business/Commerce, General.	-$19,709	$45,613	$23,838	$32,810	Full ROI →
46	Columbia Southern University Grad rate: 35.0%	Business Administration, Management and Operations.	-$27,885	$43,875	$18,002	$21,764	Full ROI →
47	Lawson State Community College Grad rate: 24.3%	Mechanical Engineering Related Technologies/Technicians.	-$30,816	$41,962	$15,028	N/A	Full ROI →
48	Strayer University-Alabama	Accounting and Related Services.	-$30,956	$42,836	$23,838	N/A	Full ROI →
49	South University-Montgomery Grad rate: 11.4%	Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services.	-$35,704	$45,357	$30,704	$30,694	Full ROI →
50	John C Calhoun State Community College Grad rate: 38.1%	Computer and Information Sciences, General.	-$60,774	$40,230	$12,687	N/A	Full ROI →

How ROI is calculated

20-Year Net ROI = Gross Earnings (salary × 20) − Total Degree Cost − Debt Payoff (×1.35) − Baseline Opportunity Cost ($42,000 × 20). Data from the U.S. College Scorecard.