Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
74.2% Acceptance Rate
Stillman College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
74.2%Acceptance Rate
2.9Avg GPA
$23,485Annual Cost
$35,421Grad Salary
68.2%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
74.2%
Avg GPA
2.9
Selectivity
Somewhat Selective
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Need-Based Aid
68.2% receive Pell
Stillman College, founded in 1876 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is an HBCU with Presbyterian roots offering business, biology, and education programs.
The 105-acre campus features historic buildings, modern science labs, and the Wynn Center for teaching excellence. Stillman emphasizes leadership and service learning.
Stillman College Acceptance Rate
Stillman College takes a broad view of applicants, admitting about 74.2% each year.
What Stillman College Admissions Looks For
- Whole-Person Review: Personal circumstances and career goals are weighed alongside grades.
- Flexible on GPA: Strong extracurriculars or work experience can offset an average transcript.
Selectivity at a Glance
Somewhat Selective
Selectivity scale: Somewhat Selective — 74.2% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.90 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.70 – 2.89
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 2.45
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Stillman College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Stillman College is February 15.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 199 days left — Regular
Regular
February 15
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Stillman College GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Stillman College is 2.9. That makes admissions here moderately selective. Most admitted students carry a blend of A's, B's, and the occasional C.
A stronger SAT or ACT score can comfortably offset a GPA on the lower end of this range.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently — for an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 3.10–3.30.Stillman College GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Holistic review is critical for admission.
Recommended Strategy: Requires Contextual Factors (Leadership, hardship, or talent).
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
2.90 – 4.00
Strategic Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
2.70 – 2.89
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
2.50 – 2.69
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 2.49
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Acceptance rate ~62% (US News); rolling admissions; February 15 priority deadline; test scores not required and not recommended; average entering GPA ~2.9; minimum ~2.6; SACSCOC accredited.
- HBCU founded 1876 by the Presbyterian Church; 150th anniversary 2025-26; 12 required credit hours of religious education for all students; three schools (Arts & Sciences, Business Administration, Education); 19 majors; 12:1 student-faculty ratio.
- I Dream Big Charter School (first HBCU-charter school partnership in Alabama) opened Fall 2025 on campus, backed by $20M Bloomberg/City Fund; articulation agreement with Bishop State Community College signed 2025; Google partnership active; Ascend 2030 plan targets 1,000 students.
- 25% graduation rate - counselors must address retention and financial aid continuity explicitly; Stillman Management Institute serves adult learners with transferable credits; campus in Tuscaloosa blocks from University of Alabama.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Stillman College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Stillman College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Stillman College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Stillman College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Stillman College Without SAT or ACT?
Stillman College neither requires nor recommends test scores. Submit yours only if it's above the state or national average — otherwise, leaving it off works in your favor.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Stillman College
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Stillman College is accessible to students who show core competency. Focus on proving readiness for college-level work and locking in financial aid.
Apply by February 15 and Lean Into What Makes an HBCU Candidacy Distinctive
Stillman's published application deadline is February 15, with rolling admissions otherwise - but the financial aid calendar rewards early applicants. The admissions process considers GPA heavily (average entering: 2.9; minimum typically 2.6), with test scores not required and not recommended. What admissions is evaluating beyond the transcript is evidence of resilience, community engagement, and alignment with Stillman's mission of developing leaders who serve: the holistic review explicitly values leadership, service learning, and extracurricular involvement. If you're applying to an HBCU for the first time, research what Stillman's Presbyterian founding, 150-year legacy, and Tuscaloosa community context mean in practice - shallow "I want to attend an HBCU" language reads as generic; specific engagement with Stillman's programs, identity, and moment reads as intentional.
Connect Your Goals to Stillman's Ascend 2030 Vision and New Initiatives
Stillman is in the middle of a strategic growth period centered on the Ascend 2030 plan, which targets enrollment growth to 1,000 students and expanded community impact. In 2025, the college launched the first HBCU-charter school partnership in Alabama history (I Dream Big Charter School, backed by $20M from Bloomberg Philanthropies and City Fund), built a Google-connected innovation pipeline, secured a $75,000 Home Depot Innovation Lounge grant, and finalized an articulation agreement with Bishop State Community College. Applicants who can specifically reference one of these initiatives in their application materials - and connect it to their own goals in education, technology, business, or community development - demonstrate the kind of purposeful engagement that makes a file memorable to a small admissions team.
Understand the Presbyterian Core Curriculum Requirement
Stillman is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA) and every enrolled student must complete 12 credit hours of religious education as part of the core curriculum - regardless of personal faith background. This is a graduation requirement, not an elective, and it shapes the academic calendar and course load in ways that non-Presbyterian applicants sometimes don't anticipate. The Stillman Management Institute provides an adult learner pathway with transferable credits for students who want the Stillman degree structure without the traditional four-year residential model. Know these requirements going in; students who discover the religious curriculum late in their planning process sometimes find it conflicts with credit completion plans.
Take the Proximity to the University of Alabama Seriously as a Resource
Stillman's 105-acre campus sits in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, blocks from the University of Alabama. For Stillman students, this proximity creates access to resources a campus of 650?750 students couldn't otherwise sustain: libraries, cultural events, hospital and research internship ecosystems, and the social infrastructure of a large college city. Stillman's size means your professors know you by name and your leadership opportunities are immediate - but strategic students use the UA ecosystem deliberately for internships, graduate school prep, and professional network expansion that supplements the Stillman HBCU community experience.
Expert Insight:
Stillman's 25% graduation rate is the single most important number a counselor must surface in any advising conversation. This means a majority of students who enroll do not complete their degree at Stillman within six years. Students should ask the admissions office directly about retention support programs, advising structures, and financial aid continuity before committing - and map their financial plan through four full years, not just the first year's award letter. The graduation rate does not disqualify Stillman as a choice, but it makes a full-picture advising conversation mandatory rather than optional.
Stillman College Profile
Full Name
Stillman College
City
Tuscaloosa
State
Alabama
ZIP Code
35401
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Stillman College Degree Worth It?
At $23,485/year against a $35,421 median graduate salary, Stillman College is worth weighing against your specific program and financial situation — the numbers below give you a real basis for that decision.
The average household income among admitted students is $46,200, with a graduate unemployment rate of 4.81%.
How much does a degree from Stillman College Cost?
The sticker price is $23,485/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is typically much lower.
68.2% of students receive a Pell Grant and 69.1% take federal loans at Stillman College — file your FAFSA early and list Stillman College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Stillman College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $35,421 — somewhat below the U.S. median graduate income of $40,595.
Degree Programs at Stillman College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Stillman College Admissions
Median earnings for Stillman College graduates sit around $35,421 a year.
At about $23,485 a year, Stillman College is on the more affordable end.
With 68.2% of Stillman College students on a Pell Grant, need-based aid odds here are strong — an early FAFSA filing naming Stillman College is the key move.
At 74.2%, Stillman College's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Stillman College average a 2.9 GPA.
Stillman College doesn't publish a hard GPA floor — but landing at or above 2.6 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 2.5, Stillman College becomes a harder reach — though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
The application deadline for Stillman College is February 15.
The application fee is 15. Fee waivers may be available — check with admissions.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.