Online IT Programs in Alabama (2027)

Key Points

Columbia Southern University's B.S. Information Technology ranks first in Alabama and places #41 of 57 in our national IT bachelor’s ranking.
Total tuition for an Alabama resident starts at $33,360.
Help desk work, the usual way in, has a $49,630 median in Alabama.
Security analysts are overrepresented in Alabama at 1.55 times the national share, earning $122,730.

Ordered by each program’s place in its national ranking. How we rank.

The Online IT Program in Alabama for 2027

No.1 #41of 57 in IT bachelor’s
Columbia Southern University

B.S. Information Technology
- Orange Beach, AL
- Private for-profit
- Fully online
- Bachelor’s
Columbia Southern University is based in Orange Beach, Alabama, and its bachelor's in information technology is an online degree with a business bent. The 120-credit program treats IT as something that lives inside organizations, so the focus is on how computer-based systems get built, kept running and managed rather than on one narrow technical specialty.
Coursework spans core IT concepts, information systems management and interpersonal and organizational communication. Students learn to name the components of a computer-based system and to apply theory and practice when a technology decision has to be made. Courses run online around the clock, most carry three credit hours, and up to 90 credits can come in through transfer. Graduates are pointed toward banking, government, academia, the legal system, the military or entry-level management.

Online tuition

$278 per credit$33,360 total for 120 credits

Credits

120

Graduation rate

33%school-wide

Median earnings

$53,6441 year after

Graduates in this field

892023-24, all formats

Accreditation

SACSCOCSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Transfer credits

Up to 90

Visit Columbia Southern’s BS in Information Technology Compare

How Much an Online IT Degree Costs in Alabama

Published online rates at schools based in Alabama run from $278 per credit, using the in-state rate where a school charges residents less. For the one program that publish both a rate and a credit total, the full degree costs an Alabama resident $33,360, against a national median of $41,760 across every ranked program. Fees, transfer credit and rate changes move these totals, so check each school’s tuition page before you apply.

Online IT Bachelor's Degrees in Alabama

One bachelor's program is based in Alabama: the B.S. Information Technology at Columbia Southern University. Its total tuition for an Alabama resident is $33,360, against a median of $59,580 for every bachelor's program in our rankings. Compare them with the national field in our online IT bachelor's degree rankings.

Tuition Discounts for Alabama Residents

State Aid for Alabama Residents

The Alabama Student Assistance Program from the Alabama Commission on Higher Education is a need-based grant of $300 to $5,000 per academic year. Ask the agency whether your online program qualifies before you count on it.

Regional Tuition Exchanges for Alabama Students

One exchange reaches Alabama. Ask each school whether its online IT programs take part.

Academic Common Market (ACM, run by SREB): in-state tuition at an out-of-state school for a program that public institutions in your home state don’t offer.

Online IT Programs Near Alabama

Florida has 13 programs, Georgia has four programs and Tennessee has four programs, and Mississippi has none of its own.

No.1 #14of 37 in IT master’s
Kennesaw State University

Master of Science in Information Technology
- Kennesaw, GA
- Public
- Fully online
- Master’s
One rate for everyone: $12,150. Alabama's network architects earn $76,960 to $173,400. A CAE-CD school.

Online tuition

$405 per credit$12,150 total for 30 credits

Credits

30

Graduation rate

52%school-wide

Graduates in this field

722023-24, all formats

Accreditation

SACSCOC, CAE-CD schoolSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Starts

Fall, Spring, Summer

Visit Kennesaw State’s MS in Information Technology Compare
No.2 #15of 37 in IT master’s
University of the Cumberlands

Information Technology, MS
- Williamsburg, KY
- Private nonprofit
- Fully online
- Master’s
One rate for everyone: $11,005. Network architects earn $130,810 in Alabama. Self-paced, which suits a full-time job.

Online tuition

$355 per credit$11,005 total for 31 credits

Credits

31

Graduation rate

50%school-wide

Graduates in this field

9412023-24, all formats

Accreditation

SACSCOC, CAE-CD schoolSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Format

Self-paced, courses from 8 weeks

Visit Cumberlands’s MS in Information Technology Compare
No.3 #52of 57 in IT bachelor’s
South Texas College

Computer and Information Technologies, BAT
- McAllen, TX
- Public
- Fully online
- Bachelor’s
Budget $30,480 in tuition. Database administrators run 1.93 times the national share in Alabama. Graduates report $40,288 after a year.

Online tuition

$254 per credit$164 in state · $30,480 total for 120 credits

Credits

120

Graduation rate

27%school-wide

Median earnings

$40,2881 year after

Graduates in this field

832023-24, all formats

Accreditation

SACSCOCSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Transfer credits

Up to 90

Visit South Texas College’s BAT in Computer and IT Compare

Alabama Programs in Our National Rankings

Program	National ranking	Place
B.S. Information Technology, Columbia Southern University	Cheapest	3rd of 35
B.S. Information Technology, Columbia Southern University	Bachelor's in IT	41st of 57

IT Jobs and Salaries in Alabama

Alabama’s best-paid IT role: IT managers, at $138,670; Alabama’s lowest is $49,630, for help desk technicians. Alabama’s largest IT group: 7,670 IT managers.

Role	Median pay	vs U.S.	Typical range	Jobs	Entry education	Salary guide
IT Manager	$138,670	−21%	$83,260 to $213,460	7,670	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Network Engineer	$130,810	−2%	$76,960 to $173,400	4,200	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Information Security Analyst	$122,730	−5%	$66,090 to $170,690	4,010	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Computer Systems Analyst	$101,770	−4%	$64,880 to $163,110	6,560	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Database Administrator	$93,900	−10%	$60,500 to $134,810	1,840	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Network and Computer Systems Administrator	$81,400	−18%	$51,690 to $135,080	5,040	Bachelor's degree	Salary guide
Network Support Specialist	$61,890	−19%	$40,290 to $99,270	940	Associate's degree	Salary guide
Help Desk Technician	$49,630	−20%	$35,320 to $75,790	7,360	Some college, no degree	Salary guide

Median and percentile pay and local employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Alabama statewide (Sources; BLS OEWS). Typical entry education: BLS Employment Projections. The range runs from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

No Alabama role tops the U.S. median; nearest: $130,810 for network engineers (−2%). Weakest in Alabama: IT managers, at $138,670 (−21%).

Next in Alabama: computer systems analysts (6,560 jobs, $101,770) and network and computer systems administrators (5,040 jobs, $81,400). In Alabama, bachelor’s-level roles are 78% of IT jobs; Alabama students can compare online IT bachelor’s degrees. Below a bachelor’s in Alabama: help desk technicians (7,360 jobs, $49,630) and network support specialists (940 jobs, $61,890). For those Alabama roles, see online IT associate degrees.

Alabama pays network and systems administrators $81,400, 18% under the $99,130 national median.

IT Pay by Metro Area in Alabama

Huntsville, AL is both the largest market and the best paid for administrators, at $100,120.

Metro area	Computer jobs	Network and computer systems administrator median	Security analyst median	Help desk median
Huntsville, AL	19,590	$100,120	$130,330	$49,740
Birmingham, AL	13,290	$84,350	$115,520	$55,350
Montgomery, AL	4,690	$78,110	$113,270	$49,940
Mobile, AL	3,280	$77,340	$121,810	$50,680
Columbus, GA-AL	3,210	$85,690	$102,240	$51,730
Tuscaloosa, AL	1,540	$79,320	$99,460	$48,490
Auburn-Opelika, AL	1,130	$82,970	$120,950	$61,940
Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL	1,010	$76,590		$47,210

Alabama IT Pay vs. Neighboring States

Georgia, Florida and Tennessee pay network and computer systems administrators more than Alabama; Mississippi pays less.

State	Network and computer systems administrator median	All computer jobs median	Computer jobs
Alabama	$81,400	$100,030	57,370
Georgia	$97,170	$104,720	170,620
Florida	$95,200	$101,120	301,040
Tennessee	$88,100	$87,400	82,790
Mississippi	$79,990	$75,000	15,920

IT Job Concentration in Alabama

Database administrators stand out most in Alabama: 1,840 jobs, 1.93 times the national share.

IT job	Per thousand jobs	Vs. national share
IT Manager	3.63	0.84×
Help Desk Technician	3.48	0.75×
Computer Systems Analyst	3.10	0.93×
Network and Computer Systems Administrator	2.39	1.18×
Network Engineer	1.99	1.72×
Information Security Analyst	1.90	1.55×
Database Administrator	0.87	1.93×
Network Support Specialist	0.44	0.47×

Employment and location quotients: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Cybersecurity Jobs in Alabama

Alabama’s labor market office projects the job to grow 26.7% from 2024 to 2034, with about 290 openings a year.

Compare online cybersecurity degrees or read the security analyst salary guide.

Tech Jobs in Alabama: The Industries Behind Them

Industry employment, establishments and payroll: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023. Average pay is annual payroll divided by employment.

IT Job Growth in Alabama Through 2034

Alabama’s labor market office projects information security analysts to grow fastest, by 26.7% from 2024 to 2034, and network and computer systems administrators to grow slowest, at -4.6%. Across the eight IT jobs below, it expects about 2,390 openings a year, from growth and from workers who retire or change fields. Nationally, the same job is projected to grow 28.5%.

IT job	2024	2034	Growth	Openings a year	U.S. growth
Information Security Analyst	3,360	4,260	+26.7%	290	+28.5%
IT Manager	6,870	7,810	+13.7%	560	+15.2%
Network Engineer	3,580	3,990	+11.4%	220	+11.9%
Computer Systems Analyst	7,100	7,580	+6.8%	450	+8.7%
Network Support Specialist	1,060	1,100	+3.5%	70	+1.8%
Database Administrator	2,300	2,260	-1.9%	110	-0.6%
Help Desk	8,150	7,880	-3.3%	460	-3.7%
Network Administrator and Systems Administrator	5,360	5,110	-4.6%	230	-4.2%

State projections, 2024 to 2034: Projections Central, from Alabama’s labor market information office. U.S. growth is the national projection on the same basis.

How to Choose an Online IT Program in Alabama

The lowest resident total in Alabama is $33,360, at Columbia Southern University. Largest IT occupation: 7,670 computer and information systems managers.

Our guide to choosing by state covers cost, residency, authorization and accreditation.

Online IT Programs in Other States

Online IT Programs in Alabama FAQ

How many online IT programs are based in Alabama?

One fully online IT program, at one school: one bachelor's degree. It is at a private school.

What is the cheapest online IT program for Alabama residents?

Among programs based in Alabama with a published rate and credit total, the lowest for an Alabama resident is $33,360, for the B.S. Information Technology at Columbia Southern University.

Can Alabama residents get a tuition discount at out-of-state schools?

Alabama takes part in ACM. ACM offers in-state tuition at an out-of-state school for a program that public institutions in your home state don’t offer. Ask the school whether its online IT programs count.

Which IT jobs are common in Alabama?

Alabama runs heavy in network architects (1.72x), information security analysts (1.55x) and network and systems administrators (1.18x the U.S. share).

How far does an IT salary go in Alabama?

Living costs work in a worker's favor in Alabama, where a price level of 88.8 makes a $81,400 administrator median worth $91,643.

Keep researching

Best Online IT Programs in Alabama (2027)