Alabama's college affordability divide

The latest: The 2026 State Opportunity Index, released earlier this week by national nonprofit Strada Education Foundation, examines education-to-career outcomes.

By the numbers: In Alabama, 66% of college graduates are projected to see a positive return on their investment within 10 years, slightly below the national average of 70%.

• Broken down by degree type, 68% of bachelor's degree recipients and 62% of associate's degree recipients are projected to see positive returns on their investment within 10 years, compared with 73% and 60% nationally, respectively.
• The state also spends about $21,265 in appropriations per student at four-year schools, per the report, almost double the national average of $11,166.

• However, Alabama's average annual net price for four-year schools is $18,364, about $3,000 higher than the national average.
• Alabama is more in line with the national average for two-year appropriations, spending $11,468 per student compared with $11,069 nationally.

The intrigue: The report comes as Alabama Gov.-elect Tommy Tuberville says students should "quit going to" four-year colleges and focus on workforce preparation programs instead.

What they're saying: "Looking at the data, I don't think any of these paths are bad paths," Nathaniel Rankin, director of the state's Office of Education and Workforce Statistics, told Axios.

• Bachelor's degrees are still generally "on the high end of worth it," he said. "But with all of the initiatives towards short-term credentials …. those have become really good paths for students who maybe don't want that four-year degree."
• Rankin manages the Alabama Terminal on Linking and Analyzing Statistics (ATLAS), from which the report pulled state data.

Driving the news: Alabama trails most other states in affordability at the bachelor's level, the report finds, but is among the leaders on associate's degree affordability.

• A student in Alabama must work 46 hours per week to afford the average $18,364 annual net price for pursuing a bachelor's degree, compared with 26 hours and $15,270 nationally.
• At the associate's level, it's 12 hours of work needed per week for the average annual net price of $7,923, compared with eight hours and $8,089 nationally.

Zoom out: The state ranks well on communicating career outcomes to students, the report finds, but is still developing its work-based learning and employer alignment, which looks at the supply and demand of degree types against high-wage jobs.

What we're watching: "I think we have a great opportunity to help with career exploration navigation," Rankin said. "That's one of those contributors to high post-secondary cost."

• Paid internships, apprenticeships and other work-based programs can help students nail down the career they want to pursue and help them finish degrees on time, saving money.