Best Alabama Colleges
Alabama has 15 ranked four-year colleges, part of our national best colleges ranking. Rankings weigh admission scores, graduation rates, and selectivity using statistical data, not editorial picks.
Leading our 2027 rankings is Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, topping our list in Alabama. The top rated public university is Auburn University. Also highly ranked: Auburn University, The University of Alabama and University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Compare tuition, acceptance rates, and enrollment across the colleges below. See how rankings are calculated on our methodology page. Sort by tuition, acceptance rate, or enrollment to find the school that fits you.
Samford University
- Private 4 Year
- Birmingham, AL
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| 0 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Samford is a private Christian university known for undergraduate pharmacy, nursing, and business. The Georgian-style campus sits in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood.
- SAT Range 1070-1250
- Avg GPA 3.84
- Acceptance Rate 82%
- Net Price $34,926
Auburn University
- Public 4 Year
- Auburn, AL
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4.6 | 9 reviews
- Feb 1 application deadline
Auburn is a large public university known for undergraduate engineering, architecture, and agriculture. The residential campus anchors the classic college town of Auburn.
- SAT Range 1260-1390
- Avg GPA 3.97
- Acceptance Rate 46%
- Net Price $25,242
The University of Alabama
- Public 4 Year
- Tuscaloosa, AL
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5.0 | 7 reviews
- May 1 application deadline
Alabama is a large public university known for undergraduate business and communications. Tuscaloosa is a classic college town built around the historic campus.
- SAT Range 1170-1400
- Avg GPA 3.76
- Acceptance Rate 77%
- Net Price $22,559
University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Public 4 Year
- Birmingham, AL
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| 0 reviews
- Jun 1 application deadline
UAB is a large public university known for undergraduate nursing, health sciences, and biomedical programs. The urban campus is anchored by a major academic medical center in Birmingham.
- SAT Range 1210-1450
- Avg GPA 3.82
- Acceptance Rate 88%
- Net Price $17,997
University of Alabama in Huntsville
- Public 4 Year
- Huntsville, AL
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| 0 reviews
UAH is a public university known for undergraduate aerospace engineering, engineering, and the sciences. The Huntsville campus sits near NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and a major aerospace industry hub.
- SAT Range 1210-1410
- Avg GPA 3.81
- Acceptance Rate 69%
- Net Price $19,396
University of Montevallo
- Public 4 Year
- Montevallo, AL
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5.0 | 2 reviews
- Aug 15 application deadline
Montevallo is a public liberal arts university known for undergraduate education, fine arts, and the performing arts. The historic campus sits in a small college town in central Alabama.
- SAT Range 970-1200
- Avg GPA 3.66
- Acceptance Rate 54%
- Net Price $17,890
Tuskegee University
- Private 4 Year
- Tuskegee, AL
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4.0 | 5 reviews
- Apr 15 application deadline
Tuskegee is a private university known for undergraduate engineering, nursing, and veterinary science. The rural campus is a historic HBCU in Alabama.
- SAT Range 995-1255
- Avg GPA 3.1
- Acceptance Rate 49%
- Net Price $24,344
University of South Alabama
- Public 4 Year
- Mobile, AL
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4.0 | 1 reviews
- Jul 15 application deadline
South Alabama is a public university known for undergraduate nursing and health sciences. The campus is in the coastal city of Mobile near Mobile Bay.
- SAT Range 970-1190
- Avg GPA 3.69
- Acceptance Rate 71%
- Net Price $16,074
Faulkner University
- Private 4 Year
- Montgomery, AL
-
| 0 reviews
Faulkner is a private Christian university known for undergraduate biblical studies, ministry, and business. The Montgomery campus is affiliated with the Churches of Christ and keeps a residential college focus.
- SAT Range 886-1135
- Avg GPA 3.36
- Acceptance Rate 73%
- Net Price $19,920
Jacksonville State University
- Public 4 Year
- Jacksonville, AL
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| 0 reviews
Jacksonville State is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, education, and business. The campus sits in a small college town in the Appalachian foothills of northeast Alabama.
- SAT Range 1000-1290
- Avg GPA 3.43
- Acceptance Rate 78%
- Net Price $14,221
Auburn University at Montgomery
- Public 4 Year
- Montgomery, AL
-
| 0 reviews
- Aug 1 application deadline
AUM is a public university known for undergraduate nursing, business, and education. The campus is located in Montgomery, Alabama's capital city.
- SAT Range 1036-1203
- Avg GPA 3.4
- Acceptance Rate 92%
- Net Price $13,945
Troy University
- Public 4 Year
- Troy, AL
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5.0 | 4 reviews
Troy is a public university known for undergraduate business, nursing, and education. The main campus is a residential college-town setting in southeastern Alabama.
- SAT Range 940-1210
- Avg GPA 3.5
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Net Price $12,842
University of West Alabama
- Public 4 Year
- Livingston, AL
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| 0 reviews
- Aug 10 application deadline
West Alabama is a public university known for undergraduate education and business programs. The campus sits in the small town of Livingston in western Alabama.
- SAT Range 860-1120
- Predicted Avg GPA 3.16
- Acceptance Rate 43%
- Net Price $13,954
Alabama A & M University
- Public 4 Year
- Normal, AL
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| 0 reviews
Alabama A&M is a public historically Black university known for undergraduate agriculture, engineering, and education. The Normal campus lies just north of Huntsville.
- SAT Range 810-1040
- Avg GPA 3.02
- Acceptance Rate 58%
- Net Price $17,152
Alabama State University
- Public 4 Year
- Montgomery, AL
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4.5 | 2 reviews
- Jul 31 application deadline
Alabama State is a public HBCU known for undergraduate education, business, and health sciences. The urban campus is in Montgomery, the state capital.
- SAT Range 749-967
- Avg GPA 2.95
- Acceptance Rate 98%
- Net Price $13,138