Alabama vs Auburn Merit Aid: The Same Score, Three Times the Money
· 4 min read
They are an hour apart, both flagship-tier public universities in the same state, and both publish an automatic merit grid. The grids are not remotely alike.
Compare both grids against your student's numbers
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Non-residents: the gap is enormous
Both at a 3.5 GPA, from each school's published 2027 grid.
| ACT | University of Alabama | Auburn |
|---|---|---|
| 25–26 | $6,000 | — |
| 27 | $8,000 | — |
| 28 | $10,000 | — |
| 29 | $15,000 | $7,000 |
| 30 | $24,000 | $7,000 |
| 31 | $24,000 | $11,000 |
| 32 | $28,000 | $11,000 |
| 33–34 | $28,000 | $15,000 |
| 35–36 | $28,000 | $17,000 |
At a 30, Alabama pays $24,000 and Auburn pays $7,000. Over four years that is a $68,000 difference for the same student with the same score.
Two structural differences drive it. Alabama's grid opens four points lower — a 25 earns something out-of-state, where Auburn's non-resident grid pays nothing until a 29. And Alabama's top band is reached at 32, where Auburn's requires a 35.
In-state: closer, but still Alabama
| ACT (3.5 GPA) | University of Alabama | Auburn |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | $4,000 | — |
| 26 | $6,000 | — |
| 28 | $8,000 | $5,000 |
| 29 | $9,000 | $5,000 |
| 30–32 | Full tuition | $9,000 |
| 33–34 | Full tuition | $11,500 |
| 35–36 | Tuition and more | Full tuition + fees |
In-state, Alabama reaches full tuition at a 30. Auburn reaches it at 35. That is a five-point difference for the same outcome.
Where the retake maths differs
This is the practical consequence, and it is school-specific.
- Auburn, non-resident, 30 ACT — the next edge is at 31, one point, worth $4,000 a year. A single retake point is worth $16,000 over four years.
- Alabama, out-of-state, 30 ACT — already inside the $24,000 band. The next edge is at 32, two points, worth $4,000 a year.
- Auburn, in-state, 29 ACT — the next edge is at 30, worth $4,000 a year.
Same student, same score, and the right answer to "should we retake?" differs by school.
Auburn's full published grid
→Deadlines differ too, and Auburn's is harder
- Auburn — scores received by December 1, 2026. Updated scores to January 11, 2027 for additional consideration only.
- Alabama — December 4, 2026 for Summer/Fall 2027 entry.
Three days apart on paper, but Auburn's wording is stricter about what "by the deadline" means. In both cases the December 12 ACT is too late — its scores report from roughly December 26.
The honest reading
None of this makes Auburn the wrong choice. Merit aid is one input, and fit, programme and net cost after all aid matter more than which grid is more generous.
But if a family is weighing the two primarily on cost, the grids are public, they are specific, and the difference at most scores is large enough to be the deciding factor. It is worth knowing before the application goes in rather than after.
Compare both grids against your student's actual numbers
Enter an ACT score and GPA and we will show you what each school pays, which threshold is closest, and what crossing it is worth — across all 501 published grids, not just these two.
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Every figure here is quoted from the university's own published page and carries the date a human last read it. Published thresholds are award schedules, not offers.
Frequently asked questions
Does Alabama or Auburn give more merit aid?
The University of Alabama, by a wide margin at most scores. A non-resident with a 30 ACT and a 3.5 GPA earns $24,000 a year at Alabama and $7,000 at Auburn. Alabama's grid also opens lower — its first out-of-state band starts at a 25, where Auburn's non-resident grid does not begin until a 29.
What ACT score do you need for a scholarship at Auburn?
A 28 with a 3.5 GPA for Alabama residents, which earns $5,000 a year, and a 29 for non-residents, which earns $7,000. Below those scores Auburn's automatic grid pays nothing, though other aid may apply.
What ACT score do you need for a scholarship at the University of Alabama?
Out-of-state, a 25 with a 3.5 GPA earns $6,000 a year. In-state the grid opens at a 24 with a 3.5, earning $4,000. Both are several points below Auburn's entry threshold.
Is it cheaper to go out of state to Alabama than in state to Auburn?
It can be, and that is the unusual thing about Alabama's grid. A non-resident 32 earns $28,000 a year at Alabama, which closes much of the out-of-state tuition gap. Whether it beats in-state Auburn depends on the specific award and the year's tuition, so compare net cost rather than award size.
What ACT score do you need for a full ride at Alabama or Auburn?
The University of Alabama reaches full tuition for in-state students at a 30 ACT with a 3.5 GPA, and its Presidential Elite award at a 36 with a 4.0 adds more. Auburn does not reach full tuition and fees until a 35 with a 4.0 for Alabama residents. That is a five-point difference for the same outcome.
Is it easier to get a scholarship at Alabama or Auburn?
Alabama, on published thresholds. Its out-of-state grid begins paying at a 25 ACT and its in-state grid at a 24, where Auburn's automatic grid pays nothing until a 28 in-state or a 29 for non-residents. A student with a 26 would receive an automatic award at Alabama and none at Auburn.