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Alexander Crippen Roberts received his Bachelors of Arts from the University of Wisconsin. He went on to earn his M.A. in 1917 and his Ph.D. in 1923 from the University of Washington. He was the first Ph.D. student from the University of Washington to earn a degree in Education. As an educator, Roberts served as the Principle of Everett High School from 1910 to 1918. He then worked as the superintendent of Everett Schools for two years. Roberts briefly spent a year in California as the President of California State normal schools in 1920 before becoming a faculty member at the University of Washington. He served as an instructor, associate professor and professor of Secondary Education at the University of Washington from 1921 to 1927.

After his time at the University of Washington, Roberts moved back to California to become the President of San Francisco State College from 1927 until 1945 when he retired. At SFSC, Roberts purchased 56 acres of land to expand the campus and allow for the later construction of new buildings. He was also the president when the school changed its name to the San Francisco State College from the San Francisco State Teachers College in 1935. Continuing his relationship with University of Washington, Roberts wrote about the scandal between the President Suzzallo and Washington Governor Roland Hartley.