“Historically Black public community college with campuses in Birmingham and Bessemer, Alabama.”
Lawson State offers nearly 200 associate degree and certificate programs across Birmingham and Bessemer campuses. Its athletic teams, the Cougars, compete in the Alabama Community College Conference of the NJCAA. The college was ranked No. 5 on Washington Monthly's Best Community Colleges list in 2013 and was recognized by the White House as a 'Champion of Change' in 2011.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Best Community Colleges
Washington Monthly 2013
Community College
Washington Monthly
Workforce Programs
The White House
Best Community Colleges
Washington Monthly
Champion of Change
The White House
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$5,040
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$8,910
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
Specialized workforce career programs leading to high-income, skills-based careers.
Up to 64 credits that transfer to a four-year college or university through the Alabama Transfer system.
Business and computer science pathways covering Cyber Security, computer hardware, Accounting, and Economics.
Programs in Nursing, RAD Tech, EMS, Dental, and Sonography.
Accelerated weekend programming for working students.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $8,910
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
