Finance and Financial Management Services at University of Alabama at Birmingham

UAB's finance program delivers middle-of-the-pack outcomes that look better within Alabama than nationally. Starting at $51K, graduates earn slightly below the national median for finance majors but hit exactly Alabama's median—placing them in the 60th percentile statewide. With $22,500 in debt and solid 23% earnings growth over four years, the fundamentals are reasonable. The 0.44 debt-to-earnings ratio means you're looking at manageable monthly payments relative to that first paycheck.

The challenge is that several Alabama schools deliver noticeably stronger results. Auburn, Alabama-Huntsville, and UA-Tuscaloosa all place graduates $4,600-$5,600 higher in year one. That gap matters when you're starting a career in Birmingham's competitive finance market, though UAB's 88% admission rate makes it more accessible than some of these alternatives.

For families choosing between Alabama options, UAB offers a solid safety school choice—you'll graduate with reasonable debt and earnings that track state norms. But if your student can gain admission to Auburn or the flagship campuses, those programs justify the extra selectivity with meaningfully better starting salaries. UAB works as a value play if affordability and access are priorities, but it's not the best financial outcome available in-state.