POPULATION (2021): 5.04 Million
CAPITAL: Montgomery
LARGEST PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN ALABAMA: The University of Alabama
LARGEST PRIVATE UNIVERSITY IN ALABAMA: Columbia Southern University
Named after the Alabama River, the state of Alabama was first settled by the French and attained statehood in 1819. Today, it is the 24th most populous state in the United States and has a storied history. The Alabama city of Montgomery is home to the Civil Rights Memorial in honor of those killed in the fight for racial equality. The Selma to Montgomery march that took place in 1965, with the participation of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., secured the right to vote for all African Americans.
4-year Universities and Community Colleges in Alabama
Alabama is a popular destination for college students attending four-year, online, and community colleges. The state has over 40 public colleges, 23 private not-for-profit colleges, and 28 private for-profit colleges. The average acceptance rate for students applying to a college in Alabama was 75.89% in the 2021-2022 school year. In the same year, a total 297,614 students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs attended Alabama colleges and universities. Over 3,000 programs are offered online and on-site by Alabama higher education institutions.
Public Universities in Alabama
The major public university system in Alabama in the University of Alabama system that has 3 campuses throughout the state (Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, Huntsville).
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama system was founded in 1831 and has more than 45,000 students across its three campuses. Auburn University is both a sports rival of the University of Alabama, as well as an enrollment rival as far as public universities go, with more than 30,000 students at the college named after the city it’s in.
Alabama State University
Alabama State University, a Historically Black College/University (HBCU) is the third-largest public school in Alabama and offers 2 and 4-year degrees at its campus in the capital city of Montgomery.
Private Universities in Alabama
The private university landscape in Alabama isn’t as prominent as in some other southern states, but given its relatively small population, there are still plenty of options for private universities in Alabama.
Columbia Southern University
Columbia Southern University is the largest private college in Alabama by enrollment, with ~ 18,000 students at its Orange Beach campus along the Gulf Coast. Other prominent private colleges in Alabama are
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Alabama
Alabama also has several private HBCUs in addition to the public Alabama State, including Tuskegee University, Talladega College, Selma University, Stillman College, and Miles College.
Community Colleges in Alabama
There are 24 community colleges across the state as part of the Alabama Community college system, or ACCS. There isn’t a place in Alabama where you’re not an hour or so from one of these schools, and the state has a very noticeable commitment to making learning accessible for all of its residents. Some of these community colleges in Alabama offer four-year degrees, as well, but all of them provide a pipeline to attending one of the universities or colleges in Alabama, if that is your desired path.
Prominent Online Colleges in Alabama
According to a report by U.S. News, Alabama college students choose online courses more frequently than the national average, and the online colleges in Alabama that serve the most students are Alabama State, Auburn, Talladega, and the University of Alabama system.
Here is a look at the city-by-city collegiate landscape in Alabama.
Universities in Montgomery
Montgomery, Alabama is the capital city and also the second-largest, trailing on Huntsville. As is the case with most capital cities, the town has a very college-city feel even away from the major campuses that call Montgomery home. Here are the other schools in Montgomery:
- Alabama State University
- Amridge University
- Auburn University – Montgomery Campus
- Faulkner University
- Huntingdon College
- Trenhold State Tech
- South University
Universities in Birmingham
Birmingham centers around the University of Alabama’s main campus, and the city is very supportive of the school’s sports teams… With that in mind, you might want to keep quiet if you wind up attending school in Birmingham but cheer for another Alabama school like Auburn. Here are the other colleg options in Birmingham:
- Birmingham-Southern College
- Samford University
- Birmingham School of Law
- Herzing University – Birmingham
Get to Know Alabama
Alabama has a vast economy, with production and aviation at the top of the list of money-makers in this southern state. Tourism in increasing, especially near the beach, with major music festivals and other gatherings of like-minded individuals becoming more popular in the summertime. Alabama also has a pretty enjoyable climate during the other seasons, with the average high only dipping below 60 degrees one month, January.
One of the country’s most recognizable names in education, Helen Keller, was from Alabama and became the first deaf and blind person to graduate from college in the U.S. (albeit, not in Alabama). Another nice mark on a progressive state history that includes Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
Sports are very popular in this state, with The Crimson Tide of the University of Alabama leading the charge. If you want the ultimate party college experience, you definitely need to go to an Alabama/Auburn football game at least once!
For those searching for a more relaxed atmosphere, the beaches in the southern part of the state are very serene, and exploration in the forests is nearly endless.
| Institution Name | City | State | Website | Degree Levels Offered | Modality | Profit Status (CNTLAFFI) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama A & M University | Normal | AL | www.aamu.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine | Dothan | AL | www.acom.edu | Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Alabama School of Nail Technology & Cosmetology | Jackson | AL | www.alabamaschoolofnailtechnology.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Alabama State College of Barber Styling | Gardendale | AL | www.ascbs.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Alabama State University | Montgomery | AL | www.alasu.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Amridge University | Montgomery | AL | www.amridgeuniversity.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Online | No |
| Athens State University | Athens | AL | www.athens.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Auburn University | Auburn | AL | www.auburn.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Hybrid | No |
| Auburn University at Montgomery | Montgomery | AL | www.aum.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Bevill State Community College | Jasper | AL | www.bscc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham | AL | www.bsc.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Bishop State Community College | Mobile | AL | www.bishop.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Blue Cliff Career College | Mobile | AL | www.blue.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Brown Beauty Barber School | Bessemer | AL | brownbeautybarberschool.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Cardiac and Vascular Institute of Ultrasound | Mobile | AL | www.ultrasound.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Central Alabama Community College | Alexander City | AL | www.cacc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Chattahoochee Valley Community College | Phenix City | AL | www.cv.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Coastal Alabama Community College | Bay Minette | AL | www.coastalalabama.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Columbia Southern University | Orange Beach | AL | www.columbiasouthern.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Online | No |
| Enterprise State Community College | Enterprise | AL | www.escc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Faulkner University | Montgomery | AL | www.faulkner.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Hybrid | No |
| Fortis College | Mobile | AL | www.fortis.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Fortis College-Dothan | Dothan | AL | www.fortiscollege.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Fortis College-Foley | Foley | AL | www.fortis.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Fortis College-Montgomery | Montgomery | AL | www.fortiscollege.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Fortis College-Montgomery | Montgomery | AL | www.fortis.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Fortis Institute-Birmingham | Birmingham | AL | www.fortis.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Gadsden State Community College | Gadsden | AL | www.gadsdenstate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| George C Wallace Community College-Dothan | Dothan | AL | www.wallace.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville | Hanceville | AL | www.wallacestate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| George C Wallace State Community College-Selma | Selma | AL | www.wccs.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| H Councill Trenholm State Community College | Montgomery | AL | www.trenholmstate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Heritage Christian University | Florence | AL | www.hcu.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Online | No |
| Herzing University-Birmingham | Birmingham | AL | www.herzing.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters |
Online | No |
| Huntingdon College | Montgomery | AL | www.huntingdon.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Huntsville Bible College | Huntsville | AL | www.hbc1.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| J F Ingram State Technical College | Deatsville | AL | www.istc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College | Huntsville | AL | www.drakestate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Jacksonville State University | Jacksonville | AL | www.jsu.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Jefferson State Community College | Birmingham | AL | www.jeffersonstate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| John C Calhoun State Community College | Tanner | AL | calhoun.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Judson College | Marion | AL | www.judson.edu | Associates Bachelors |
Online | No |
| Lawson State Community College | Birmingham | AL | www.lawsonstate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Lurleen B Wallace Community College | Andalusia | AL | www.lbwcc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Marion Military Institute | Marion | AL | www.marionmilitary.edu | Associates |
Campus | No |
| Midfield Institute of Cosmetology | Midfield | AL | www.midfieldic.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Miles College | Fairfield | AL | www.miles.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| New Beginning College of Cosmetology | Albertville | AL | www.nbccosmetology.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Northeast Alabama Community College | Rainsville | AL | www.nacc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Northwest-Shoals Community College | Muscle Shoals | AL | www.nwscc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Oakwood University | Huntsville | AL | www2.oakwood.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Birmingham | Hoover | AL | birmingham.paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Paul Mitchell the School-Huntsville | Madison | AL | paulmitchell.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Reid State Technical College | Evergreen | AL | www.rstc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Remington College-Mobile Campus | Mobile | AL | www.remingtoncollege.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville | Huntsville | AL | www.rosseducation.edu | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| Samford University | Birmingham | AL | www.samford.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Selma University | Selma | AL | selmauniversity.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Shelton State Community College | Tuscaloosa | AL | www.sheltonstate.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Snead State Community College | Boaz | AL | www.snead.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| South University, Montgomery | Montgomery | AL | www.southuniversity.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Southern Union State Community College | Wadley | AL | www.suscc.edu | Certificates Associates |
Campus | No |
| Spring Hill College | Mobile | AL | www.shc.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| Stillman College | Tuscaloosa | AL | stillman.edu | Bachelors |
Campus | No |
| Strayer University-Alabama | Birmingham | AL | www.strayer.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters |
Online | No |
| Talladega College | Talladega | AL | www.talladega.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| The Salon Professional Academy-Huntsville | Huntsville | AL | www.huntsvilletspa.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| The University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa | AL | www.ua.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Troy University | Troy | AL | www.troy.edu | Certificates Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| Tuskegee University | Tuskegee | AL | www.tuskegee.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| United States Sports Academy | Daphne | AL | www.ussa.edu | Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Hybrid | No |
| University Academy of Hair Design | Tuscaloosa | AL | www.uahairdesign.com | Certificates |
Campus | No |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham | AL | www.uab.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| University of Alabama in Huntsville | Huntsville | AL | www.uah.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| University of Alabama System Office | Tuscaloosa | AL | www.uasystem.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
No | |
| University of Mobile | Mobile | AL | www.umobile.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| University of Montevallo | Montevallo | AL | www.montevallo.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| University of North Alabama | Florence | AL | www.una.edu | Bachelors Masters |
Campus | No |
| University of South Alabama | Mobile | AL | www.southalabama.edu | Certificates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Campus | No |
| University of West Alabama | Livingston | AL | www.uwa.edu | Associates Bachelors Masters Doctorate |
Online | No |
| Winonah's International School of Cosmetology | Hoover | AL | www.winonah.net | Certificates |
Campus | No |