Alabama · Private nonprofit · Predominantly bachelor's

Oakwood University

Huntsville, Alabama. 1,253 undergraduate students. 57 programs in the federal Field-of-Study dataset.

ANOMALY ENGINE · NOTABLE SIGNALS

What the data flags at Oakwood University

Short-arc shifts (recent 3-year window), peer outliers, earnings trend breaks, completion drops, enrollment cliffs, and debt-to-earnings warnings — surfaced deterministically from the federal record. Multi-decade shifts are reported separately in the Long Arc section, since 25-year tuition drift isn't really an anomaly.

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE-15%

Undergraduate enrollment

Undergraduate enrollment at Oakwood University fell 15% between 2021 and 2024 (1.4k → 1.2k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING BETTER-100%

3-year cohort default rate

3-year cohort default rate at Oakwood University fell 100% between 2021 and 2024 (3.3% → 0.0%).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+13%

In-state tuition

In-state tuition at Oakwood University rose 13% between 2021 and 2024 ($20.0k → $22.5k).

LONG-ARC SHIFT · TRENDING WORSE+13%

Out-of-state tuition

Out-of-state tuition at Oakwood University rose 13% between 2021 and 2024 ($20.0k → $22.5k).

SECTION 01 · OUTCOMES SNAPSHOT

The numbers, vs. Alabama

Each tile compares this institution to the Alabama median for the same metric. Sub-line shows the comparison value, not an interpretation. Sparklines trace the federally available history.

MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10Y
$42,488+37% · 6→10y
Alabama median $39,017
MEDIAN EARNINGS · 6Y
$30,969
Treasury earnings · 6y post-entry
COMPLETION · 150%
48.9%+17% · '97→'24
Alabama median 43.4%
MEDIAN FEDERAL DEBT
$21,500+308% · '97→'20
At program completion
UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT
1,253-31% · '96→'24
latest IPEDS
RETENTION
63.9%+3% · '04→'24
first-time, full-time
ADMISSION RATE
50.5%-17% · '02→'24
latest cohort
IN-STATE TUITION
$21,838+139% · '01→'24
out-of-state $21,838
SECTION 02 · EARNINGS HORIZONS

How earnings spread, 4 to 10 years after entry

Treasury tax-record earnings for federally aided students who first enrolled at this institution. Each point is a horizon from the most-recent vintage. Single median per horizon (no p25/p75 publishing).

ALL FEDERALLY AIDED STUDENTS · TAX-RECORD EARNINGSVINTAGE 2025-05
Earnings widen with time post-entry. Selection: federal-aid recipients only — not all graduates.Methodology →
SECTION 03 · DEBT-TO-EARNINGS

What loans cost relative to earnings

Annual debt service as a share of median earnings 10 years after entry, computed under federal Direct loan terms (10-year fixed at 6%). The 8% line is the gainful-employment threshold from federal regulation; above 12% has historically been considered “failing” under prior rule cycles.

Institution-wide

6.7%
0%8% · GE20%+

Median federal debt $21,500 amortized over 10 years vs. median earnings $42,488 (10y after entry).

SECTION 04 · LONG ARC

Ten-plus year arc

Federally available history. Coverage varies by metric — IPEDS publishes some series only after 2009 and others only before.

UNDERGRAD · 199620241,153
1,9471,15319962024
Undergraduate enrollment.IPEDS EF
COMPLETION 150% · 1997202444.6%
51%29%19972024
150%-time completion rate.IPEDS GR
MEDIAN DEBT · 19972020$27,000
$31,125$6,62519972020
Median federal student debt at exit.SCORECARD
COMPLETION · 100% · 19972024+45%

Oakwood University · completion · 100% rose

21.1% → 30.4%

UNDERGRAD ENROLLMENT · 19962024-31%

Oakwood University · undergrad enrollment fell

1,666 → 1,153

IN-STATE TUITION · 20012024+139%

Oakwood University · in-state tuition rose

$9,420 → $22,512

OUT-OF-STATE TUITION · 20012024+139%

Oakwood University · out-of-state tuition rose

$9,420 → $22,512

MEDIAN DEBT · 19972020+308%

Oakwood University · median debt rose

$6,625 → $27,000

COHORT DEFAULT RATE · 20112024-100%

Oakwood University · cohort default rate fell

19.7% → 0.0%

EARNINGS_MEDIAN_10YR · 20072020+20%

Oakwood University · earnings_median_10yr rose

$35,400 → $42,488

CAUSAL DISCIPLINE

Oakwood University graduates earn $X” — not “Oakwood University makes you earn $X”

Median earnings describe what cohorts earned. They do not describe what attending Oakwood University caused. Selection effects (who admits, who enrolls, who completes) are real. We publish federal data with strict descriptive phrasing — and link the methodology where you can read about the limitations directly.

Methodology →