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2026 Best Value Microbiology Schools in Alabama

[Microbiology](/majors/biological-biomedical-sciences/microbiological-sciences-immunology/microbiology/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 3 schools to find the best return on investment for microbiology students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Microbiology Schools in Alabama

2026 Best Value Microbiology Schools in Alabama

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in microbiology, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Microbiology Schools

1

University Of Alabama At Birmingham
Birmingham, AL

$9,098 In-State Tuition & Fees

$26,162 Avg Student Debt

$54,501 Median Earnings (10yr)

For return on investment in microbiology, no school beat University Of Alabama At Birmingham this year. Set in the city of Birmingham, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,098 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $22,562. Microbiology graduates carry a median of $26,162 in student loans. Early-career microbiology graduates make about $55,413. Set against $26,162 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.

2

The University Of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL

$12,180 In-State Tuition & Fees

$24,496 Avg Student Debt

$59,221 Median Earnings (10yr)

The University Of Alabama came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value microbiology schools. Located in the city of Tuscaloosa, The University Of Alabama is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,180, with out-of-state students paying around $34,172. Microbiology graduates carry a median of $24,496 in student loans. Early-career microbiology graduates make about $50,740. Set against $24,496 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 3 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.