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State Rankings

Best Colleges in Alabama

Top colleges in Alabama ranked by national standing and graduate outcomes — updated 2026.

Colleges listed: 50
Avg grad earnings: $42,160
Public / Private: 36 / 14

Top Colleges in Alabama

Nationally ranked schools appear first. Remaining schools are ordered by median graduate earnings.

State #SchoolGrad Earnings
1Auburn University

Auburn#74 national

$65,337
2The University of Alabama

Tuscaloosa#200 national

$59,221
3Samford University

Birmingham#361 national

$58,469
4University of Alabama in Huntsville

Huntsville#387 national

$61,767
5Birmingham-Southern College

Birmingham#598 national

$59,481
6University of Alabama at Birmingham

Birmingham#725 national

$54,501
7University of South Alabama

Mobile#888 national

$49,379
8Tuskegee University

Tuskegee#971 national

$49,641
9Enterprise State Community College

Enterprise#1058 national

$42,572
10Spring Hill College

Mobile#1072 national

$51,500
11University of North Alabama

Florence#1248 national

$45,415
12Jefferson State Community College

Birmingham#1372 national

$40,719
13University of Montevallo

Montevallo#1473 national

$42,957
14John C Calhoun State Community College

Tanner#1552 national

$38,192
15Northeast Alabama Community College

Rainsville#1558 national

$34,913
16Huntingdon College

Montgomery#1599 national

$49,601
17Jacksonville State University

Jacksonville#1645 national

$45,235
18Snead State Community College

Boaz#1676 national

$35,735
19University of Mobile

Mobile#1708 national

$43,611
20Chattahoochee Valley Community College

Phenix City#1727 national

$36,438
21Bevill State Community College

Jasper#1741 national

$34,107
22Gadsden State Community College

Gadsden#1752 national

$32,937
23Northwest Shoals Community College

Muscle Shoals#1782 national

$33,828
24George C Wallace State Community College-Selma

Selma#1795 national

$31,598
25George C Wallace Community College-Dothan

Dothan#1805 national

$31,399
26George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville

Hanceville#1807 national

$39,842
27Southern Union State Community College

Wadley#1812 national

$36,597
28Lurleen B Wallace Community College

Andalusia#1824 national

$32,307
29Bishop State Community College

Mobile#1912 national

$29,916
30H Councill Trenholm State Community College

Montgomery#1949 national

$32,183
31Coastal Alabama Community College

Bay Minette#1975 national

$34,894
32Lawson State Community College

Birmingham#2013 national

$31,701
33J. F. Drake State Community and Technical College

Huntsville#2048 national

$28,281
34Shelton State Community College

Tuscaloosa#2097 national

$35,014
35Oakwood University

Huntsville#2138 national

$42,488
36Troy University

Troy#2182 national

$42,062
37Talladega College

Talladega#2206 national

$32,229
38Faulkner University

Montgomery#2269 national

$43,457
39Central Alabama Community College

Alexander City#2274 national

$33,506
40University of West Alabama

Livingston#2321 national

$44,232
41Auburn University at Montgomery

Montgomery#2329 national

$44,391
42Alabama A & M University

Normal#2371 national

$40,628
43Stillman College

Tuscaloosa#2380 national

$35,421
44Alabama State University

Montgomery#2595 national

$34,502
45Miles College

Fairfield#2598 national

$32,627
46Marion Military Institute

Marion

$59,644
47United States Sports University

Daphne

$55,257
48Athens State University

Athens

$50,273
49Columbia College - Redstone Arsenal

Redstone Arsenal

$45,378
50Heritage Christian University

Florence

$42,597

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Excludes for-profit institutions.

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