It depends on what your other options are.
Have you run the online net price calculators for all the other schools on your list?
You said you could attend Pepperdine for free.
Nothing you’ve written so far suggests that Alabama definitely would be worth a $12K/y premium to you over Pepperdine (as long as you’re o.k. with the fact that P is a Christian college, and as long as P has the programs you want.)