<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000811869
<NAME> THE AAL MUTUAL FUNDS
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 111
   <NAME> THE AAL HIGH YIELD BOND FUND CLASS A
<MULTIPLIER> 1
       
<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          APR-30-1998
<PERIOD-START>                             MAY-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                               OCT-31-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       92,203,506
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      93,362,020
<RECEIVABLES>                                4,197,598
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                  78,597
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                           229,076
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              97,867,291
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                     3,395,919
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      378,178
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                          3,774,097
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    91,965,571
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        8,476,592
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,522,329
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                        2,019
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        967,090
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     1,158,514
<NET-ASSETS>                                94,093,194
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            3,489,163
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 364,917
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      3,124,246
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     1,025,429
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    1,645,314
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        5,794,989
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                  (2,945,602)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      4,050,855
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (238,949)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                         46,752,248
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       3,954,263
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          2,019
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     (58,339)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          211,117
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                426,407
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        65,578,796
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                             9.88
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  0.460
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          0.480
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                      (0.460)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             0.000
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              10.36
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.00
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING>                               0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE>                                 0
        


</TABLE>