Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Top 10 After the table I give a short paragraph about each school with sources for the main facts. universities in Alabama (USA). Below are 10 well-known universities located in the state of Alabama, with a compact table first (Type, Location, Established, Programs, Popular majors, Student population, Tuition (typical in-state undergrad / year or per-credit guidance), Campus (short), Website).
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In this article, we will explore the top 10 universities in the state of Alabama in the US, highlighting their strengths, unique programs, and why they remain a top choice for students worldwide.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA) — quick table + brief profiles
1. The University of Alabama (UA) — Tuscaloosa.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Large public flagship and research university founded in 1831. Programs include strong colleges of Business (Culverhouse), Engineering, Communication, Education, and Arts & Sciences. UA reported a fall 2024 total enrollment of about 40,846 and publishes its cost/tuition estimates on its official affordability pages. UA is known for a traditional campus, an active Greek system and major NCAA athletics. The University of AlabamaAfford
| University Name | The University of Alabama (UA) |
| Type | Public R1 research university |
| Location | Tuscaloosa |
| Established | 1831 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate, professional (law, education, engineering, business, arts & sciences) |
| Popular Majors | Business, Engineering, Education, Communications |
| Student population (approx.) | ~40,800 (Fall 2024 total). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | ≈ $11,684 / year (undergrad on-campus direct tuition estimate shown). |
| Campus (short) | Large traditional campus on the Black Warrior River; strong Greek life & athletics. |
| Website | ua.edu |
2. Auburn University — Auburn.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Established 1856; Auburn is a major land-grant research university with prominent engineering, agriculture, business and veterinary programs. Total enrollment is in the low-to-mid 30,000s (recent factbook & press releases list ~33k). Auburn’s cost of attendance and tuition estimates are on its admissions/financial-aid pages. Auburn University+1
| University Name | Auburn University |
| Type | Public R1 research university |
| Location | Auburn |
| Established | 1856 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate, professional (engineering, business, vet med, agriculture) |
| Popular Majors | Engineering, Business, Agriculture, Education |
| Student population (approx.) | ~33,000 total (2023–24 academic year). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Estimated total cost varies; per-year in-state estimated COA ~ $36–37k (includes housing). |
| Campus (short) | Classic college town campus with strong engineering & vet programs; big athletics. |
| Website | auburn.edu |
3. University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) — Birmingham.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). A research-intensive urban campus strongly focused on medicine and health sciences (University hospital system), plus engineering, business and arts. UAB reports ~21k students (headcount) and maintains detailed tuition and per-credit charges by school on its site. University of Alabama at Birmingham+1
| University Name | University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) |
| Type | Public research university (R1) |
| Location | Birmingham |
| Established | 1969 (as independent campus) / roots earlier |
| Programs offered | Medicine, Health Sciences, Engineering, Business, Arts & Sciences |
| Popular Majors | Nursing, Medicine/Health professions, Business, Engineering |
| Student population (approx.) | ~21,000 (Fall 2023/2024 headcount). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Tuition by program/credit; COA pages list per-credit & term estimates (varies by school). |
| Campus (short) | Urban medical-research campus integrated with major hospitals. |
| Website | uab.edu |
4. University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) — Huntsville.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Known for engineering, aerospace research and STEM programs closely tied to local industry. UAH posts official enrollment and program information (headcount ~8–9k in recent academic-year reports) and publishes tuition/program costs on its site. uah.eduCollegeTuitionCompare
| University Name | University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) |
| Type | Public research university |
| Location | Huntsville |
| Established | 1950 (as extension; 1969 independent) |
| Programs offered | Engineering, Science, Business, Education |
| Popular Majors | Engineering, Computer Science, Physics |
| Student population (approx.) | ~8,700 (2023–24 headcount cited). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Per-credit / program tuition; UAH posts official enrollment & cost pages. |
| Campus (short) | Science & engineering focus close to aerospace/defense industries. |
| Website | uah.edu |
5. Tuskegee University — Tuskegee.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Historic private HBCU (founded 1881) known for strong programs in agriculture, veterinary medicine (DVM), architecture and nursing. Tuskegee’s undergraduate tuition/fee schedule and program lists are published on its official site and related PDFs; enrollment is in the low thousands. Wikipediatuskegee.edu
| University Name | Tuskegee University |
| Type | Private historically Black university (HBCU) |
| Location | Tuskegee |
| Established | 1881 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate, professional (architecture, veterinary medicine, agriculture) |
| Popular Majors | Agriculture, Architecture, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing |
| Student population (approx.) | ~2,500–3,000 (approx. — campus small/medium). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Undergraduate tuition/fees in mid-$20k range (per university fee sheets). |
| Campus (short) | Historic HBCU campus (George Washington Carver legacy) with skyline chapel & agricultural lands. |
| Website | tuskegee.edu |
6. Samford University — Homewood (near Birmingham).
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Private Christian university (founded 1841) with law, pharmacy and professional programs as well as undergraduate majors; reported record enrollment ~6,101 in fall 2024. Samford publishes fact sheets and by-the-numbers pages detailing tuition and enrollment. samford.edu+1
| University Name | Samford University |
| Type | Private (Christian), Master’s-level / comprehensive |
| Location | Homewood (Birmingham metro) |
| Established | 1841 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate, law, health professions |
| Popular Majors | Nursing, Business, Pharmacy, Education |
| Student population (approx.) | ~6,000 (largest-ever ~6,101 reported fall 2024). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Private tuition — check Samford’s cost pages (net price varies); totals reported per-year on site. |
| Campus (short) | Suburban campus with traditional quads and professional schools. |
| Website | samford.edu |
7. University of North Alabama (UNA) — Florence.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Regional public university (founded as a normal school) offering education, business, nursing, and arts programs. UNA posts tuition schedules (flat rate / per-credit info) and fact pages with recent enrollment/tuition data. University of North AlabamaU.S. News
| University Name | University of North Alabama (UNA) |
| Type | Public university |
| Location | Florence |
| Established | 1872 (as normal school) |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate (education, business, nursing, arts) |
| Popular Majors | Education, Business, Nursing |
| Student population (approx.) | ~8–10k (varies by report); check UNA fact pages. |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | In-state flat rates / per-hour billing shown on UNA pages (e.g. $5,100 flat for 12–18 hrs). |
| Campus (short) | Campus in Florence (northern AL) — smaller regional campus with historic buildings. |
| Website | una.edu |
8. Jacksonville State University (JSU) — Jacksonville.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Public regional university with emphasis on teacher education, business and health programs. JSU publishes its “Jax Facts” and bursar pages with enrollment figures and per-credit tuition rates. JSU+1
| University Name | Jacksonville State University (JSU) |
| Type | Public university |
| Location | Jacksonville |
| Established | 1883 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate (education, business, health, arts) |
| Popular Majors | Education, Business, Nursing |
| Student population (approx.) | ~9–10k (check JSU interactive fact book); JSU publishes enrollment facts. |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Tuition shown per credit hour (in-state per hour examples on bursar page). |
| Campus (short) | Traditional campus with a focus on teacher education and regional service. |
| Website | jsu.edu |
9. Troy University — Troy.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Public university with a main campus in Troy plus multiple regional and online programs; strong distance, military and education offerings. Troy posts a fact-site and tuition/fees pages (tuition often shown per credit/hour depending on campus). Troy University+1
| University Name | Troy University |
| Type | Public regional university |
| Location | Troy |
| Established | 1887 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate, strong online & satellite programs; business, education |
| Popular Majors | Business, Education, Criminal Justice |
| Student population (approx.) | ~15–18k systemwide (includes multiple campuses / online). |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Undergrad tuition often per-credit (e.g. ~$424 per credit depending on campus/program); COA pages available. |
| Campus (short) | Main campus in Troy plus regional campuses; strong online & military programs. |
| Website | troy.edu |
10. Alabama A&M University (AAMU) — Normal (Huntsville area).
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Public land-grant HBCU founded 1875 with programs in engineering, agriculture, education and sciences. AAMU posts per-credit tuition schedules and fee sheets on its admissions pages.
| University Name | Alabama A&M University (AAMU) |
| Type | Public HBCU |
| Location | Normal (Huntsville area) |
| Established | 1875 |
| Programs offered | UG, graduate (engineering, agriculture, education) |
| Popular Majors | Engineering, Agriculture, Education, Business |
| Student population (approx.) | ~6–7k (varies by year; check AAMU fact pages) |
| Tuition (in-state undergrad, recent) | Tuition shown per-credit on AAMU pages (e.g. $287/resident per credit hour). |
| Campus (short) | Land-grant HBCU with research in agriculture/engineering near Huntsville. |
| Website | aamu.edu |
Conclusion
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Alabama offers a diverse range of higher education options — from large flagship research universities like The University of Alabama and Auburn University, to specialized institutions such as UAB for health sciences and UAH for engineering, as well as historic HBCUs like Tuskegee University and Alabama A&M. Students can choose between bustling urban campuses, serene small-town settings, public affordability, or private personalized learning environments.
Top 10 universities in Alabama (USA). Whether your priority is strong athletics, cutting-edge research, professional training, or rich historical and cultural heritage, Alabama’s top universities provide opportunities that cater to different academic interests, career goals, and lifestyles — making the state a notable hub for quality higher education in the southern United States.
