<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811869
<NAME> THE AAL MUTUAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 081
   <NAME> THE AAL EQUITY INCOME FUND CLASS A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1999
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-30-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        194126910
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       225374469
<RECEIVABLES>                                  2733848
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  138996
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               228247313
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       1086802
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       289971
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            1376773
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     184827407
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         15604955
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         13816053
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       314366
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       10481208
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                      31247559
<NET-ASSETS>                                 212556986
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              1995416
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               659181
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 1192839
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        1461758
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (2829134)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    (7566870)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        (8934246)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    (1389407)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        2523705
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (832135)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              97332
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        18311220
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         324789
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     13310342
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           520711
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                1192839
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         201120813
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            14.31
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .09
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.69)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.09)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              13.62
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.10
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>