Colleges & Universities in Alabama
Alabama's public university system posted genuinely record Fall 2025 enrollment at its two flagship institutions -- the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and Auburn University -- alongside UAB's distinct research-and-hospital identity in Birmingham, each anchoring a real, separate college-town or metro identity.
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Learn moreThe University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) posted a fifth consecutive record enrollment year
The University of Alabama enrolled a record 42,360 students for Fall 2025 (up 3.7% year-over-year, its fifth consecutive record year), including a record 362 National Merit Scholars and graduate enrollment surpassing 6,200 for the first time -- anchoring Tuscaloosa's genuine college-town identity, reinforced by DCH Regional Medical Center as the city's major hospital system.
Auburn University anchors a second, genuinely large flagship identity
Auburn University enrolled just over 35,000 total students for Fall 2025, with 6,112 first-year undergraduates (average ACT 28.8, average high school GPA 4.11) among a record-large entering class -- a genuinely distinct college-town identity in Auburn/Opelika, separate from Tuscaloosa's University of Alabama.
UAB is a third major research university, distinct in its urban, hospital-anchored identity
UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) is a third major Alabama research university, but its identity is genuinely distinct from Tuscaloosa's or Auburn's college-town character: UAB is embedded in Birmingham's urban core, is Alabama's single largest employer (27,000+ staff), and its hospital system has ranked Alabama's #1 hospital for 12 consecutive years -- see the jobs-economy and healthcare topics for the fuller detail on UAB's employer and healthcare roles.
A broader network of universities serves Alabama's other metros
Beyond the three flagship-scale institutions, Alabama hosts a broader network of public and private universities across its other metros -- research your specific target campus directly for current enrollment, program strength, and cost figures, which this record does not have independently sourced for every Alabama institution.
Key takeaways
- The University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa) posted a fifth consecutive record enrollment year for Fall 2025 (42,360 students, including a record 362 National Merit Scholars).
- Auburn University enrolled just over 35,000 students for Fall 2025, with a record-large, academically strong entering class (avg. ACT 28.8, avg. GPA 4.11).
- UAB is a third major research university, distinct in its urban Birmingham setting -- Alabama's single largest employer and home to Alabama's #1-ranked hospital for 12 consecutive years.
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