“Alabama's oldest private HBCU — a legacy of social mobility, the arts, and accessible liberal learning.”
Talladega College is one of the oldest and most historically significant historically Black colleges in the United States, founded in 1867 in Talladega, Alabama. Rooted in a tradition of academic excellence and social uplift, the college offers a close-knit liberal arts education emphasizing critical thinking, global consciousness, and civic engagement. The 50-acre campus is home to Swayne Hall — built by enslaved laborers in 1857 and later acquired by the American Missionary Association to establish the institution — and the Dr. William R. Harvey Museum of Art, which houses Hale Woodruff's celebrated Amistad Murals: six large-scale paintings valued at $50 million and exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta. Academically, Talladega enrolls approximately 800 students across four divisions — Business Administration, Humanities and Fine Arts, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences and Education — with particular strengths in Business Administration, Biology, Criminal Justice, and Computer Information Science. The college offers fully online graduate programs in Business Administration (MBA) and Computer Information Systems (MSCIS), as well as a FastTrack accelerated degree option for transfer students with 45 or more transferable credit hours. Talladega earned national recognition from US News and World Report in 2026 for Social Mobility, ranking #20 among all U.S. colleges for helping low-income students achieve strong long-term economic outcomes. Student life centers on a tight-knit community of roughly 800 students from 36 states and 12 countries, including a growing international cohort from Latin America and the Caribbean. The college fields 16 NAIA varsity sports under the Tornadoes nickname. With 94% of students receiving financial aid, an average net price around $13,000 per year, and base tuition under $13,000 annually, Talladega offers one of the most accessible paths to a four-year liberal arts degree in the United States — particularly appealing to first-generation and international students seeking a personalized, culturally rich academic experience.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Colleges South
US News 2026
Social Mobility — All Colleges
US News 2026
Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceEarly Action I
Early Action II
Rolling Admissions
Applications accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year after EA deadlines
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$12,130
/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.
Undergraduate and graduate business programs, including the hybrid MBA.
Programs in communication, English, history, music performance, and fine arts.
STEM programs in biology, chemistry, computer information science, and mathematics.
ALSDE-accredited teacher education, CSWE-accredited social work, criminal justice, psychology, and public administration.
4 years
The college's most enrolled major; comprehensive business foundation with a pathway to the hybrid MBA.
4 years
Strong natural sciences program preparing graduates for healthcare professions, graduate school, and research careers.
4 years
Tech-focused degree potentially qualifying international graduates for the 24-month STEM OPT extension.
2 years
Hybrid online and face-to-face; 30 credit hours; accessible to working professionals including international graduates.
2 years
Fully online program for professionals seeking advanced credentials in information systems.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $15,650
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.
