There are 60 colleges and universities in the U.S. state of Alabama. The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa is the largest university in the state with 38,100 enrolled for fall 2019. Calhoun Community College in Tanner, Alabama is the largest two-year college, with an enrollment of 14,641. The smallest institution is Heritage Christian University, a Churches of Christ-affiliated seminary, with an enrollment of 86 students. The oldest institution is Athens State University in Athens founded in 1822. There are also 8 four-year and 3 two-year historically black colleges and universities which is more than any other state.

The majority of Alabama's colleges and universities are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), although several are accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), the Council on Occupational Education (COE), or the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC).

The University of Alabama at Birmingham, the University of South Alabama, the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine feature the only medical schools in the state. The University of Alabama School of Law, the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University, and the Thomas Goode Jones School of Law at Faulkner University are American Bar Association-accredited law schools. The Birmingham School of Law and Miles Law School (unaffiliated with Miles College) are state accredited law programs.

There are four institutions of higher learning in Alabama that are listed among Tier 1 national universities by U.S. News & World Report - The University of Alabama (UA), Auburn University (AU), the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH).

These four universities are also classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity: "The University of Alabama, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, and Auburn University as of February 2022.

Institutions

Institution Location(s) Control TypeSchool types are based on the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Enrollment(Fall 2024) Founded Accreditation Air University Montgomery Public(Air Force) Master's university 1946 SACS Alabama A&M University Normal Public Research university 1875 SACS Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine Dothan Private Medical school 2010 AOA's COCA Alabama State University Montgomery Public Research University 1867 SACS Amridge University Montgomery Private(Churches of Christ) Special-focus institution (Bible college) 1967 SACS Athens State University Athens Public Baccalaureate college 1822 SACS Auburn University Auburn Public Research university 1856 SACS Auburn University at Montgomery Montgomery Public Master's university 1967 SACS Bevill State Community College Sumiton Public Associate's college 1963 SACS Birmingham School of Law Birmingham Private Law school 1915 Alabama Bar Association Bishop State Community College Mobile Public Associate's college 1927 SACS Calhoun Community College Tanner Public Associate's college 1965 SACS Central Alabama Community College Alexander City Public Associate's college 1989 SACS Chattahoochee Valley Community College Phenix City Public Associate's college 1974 SACS Coastal Alabama Community College Bay Minette Public Associate's college 1965 SACS Columbia Southern University Orange Beach Private(For-profit) Master's university 1993 DEAC Community College of the Air Force Montgomery Public(Air Force) Associate's college 1979 SACS Enterprise State Community College Enterprise Public Associate's college 1965 SACS Faulkner University Montgomery Private(Churches of Christ) Baccalaureate college 1942 SACS Gadsden State Community College Gadsden Public Associate's college 1985 SACS H. Councill Trenholm State Community College Montgomery Public Associate's college 1966 SACS Heritage Christian University Florence Private(Churches of Christ) Special-focus institution (Bible college) 1971 ABHE Highlands College Birmingham Private(Association of Related Churches) Special-focus institution (Bible college) 2011 ABHE (candidate) Huntingdon College Montgomery Private(United Methodist Church) Baccalaureate college 1854 SACS Huntsville Bible College Huntsville Private(Interdenominational) Special-focus institution (Bible college) 1986 ABHE J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College Huntsville Public Associate's college 1961 SACS J. F. Ingram State Technical College Deatsville Public Associate's college 1965 COE Jacksonville State University Jacksonville Public Master's university 1883 SACS Jefferson State Community College Birmingham Public Associate's college 1965 SACS Lawson State Community College Birmingham Public Associate's college 1950 SACS Lurleen B. Wallace Community College Andalusia Public Associate's college 1969 SACS Marion Military Institute Marion Public Associate's college 1842 SACS Miles College Fairfield Private(Christian Methodist Episcopal Church) Baccalaureate college 1905 SACS Miles Law School Fairfield Private Law school 1974 Alabama Bar Association Northeast Alabama Community College Rainsville Public Associate's college 1963 SACS Northwest–Shoals Community College Muscle Shoals Public Associate's college 1993 SACS Oakwood University Huntsville Private(Seventh-day Adventist Church) Baccalaureate college 1896 SACS Reid State Technical College Evergreen Public Associate's college 1966 COE Samford University Birmingham Private(Christian) Master's university 1841 SACS Selma University Selma Private(National Missionary Baptist Convention of America) Special-focus institution (Bible college) 1878 ABHE Shelton State Community College Tuscaloosa Public Associate's college 1979 SACS Snead State Community College Boaz Public Associate's college 1898 SACS Southern Union State Community College Wadley Public Associate's college 1994 SACS Spring Hill College Mobile Private(Roman Catholic Church) Master's university 1830 SACS Stillman College Tuscaloosa Private(Presbyterian Church of the USA) Baccalaureate college 1876 SACS Talladega College Talladega Private(United Church of Christ) Baccalaureate college 1867 SACS Troy University Troy Public Master's university 1887 SACS Tuskegee University Tuskegee Private Research University 1881 SACS United States Sports Academy Daphne Private Special-focus institution 1972 SACS University of Alabama Tuscaloosa Public Research university 1831 SACS University of Alabama at Birmingham Birmingham Public Research university 1966 SACS University of Alabama in Huntsville Huntsville Public Research university 1949 SACS University of Mobile Prichard Private(Southern Baptist Convention) Master's university 1961 SACS University of Montevallo Montevallo Public Master's university 1896 SACS University of North Alabama Florence Public Master's university 1830 SACS University of South Alabama Mobile Public Research university 1963 SACS University of West Alabama Livingston Public Master's university 1835 SACS Wallace Community College Dothan Public Associate's college 1949 SACS Wallace Community College Selma Selma Public Associate's college 1963 SACS Wallace State Community College Hanceville Public Associate's college 1966 SACS

Out-of-state institutions

Institution Location(s)Control AccreditationNotes Columbia College Missouri Redstone Arsenal Private HLC Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine Auburn Private AOA's COCA VCOM-Auburn is located on the Auburn University campus. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Huntsville, Fort Novosel, Mobile Private SACS ERAU has four instructional sites in Alabama: one in Huntsville, one at Fort Novosel, and two in Mobile. Florida Institute of Technology Huntsville Private SACS Southeastern University Birmingham, Cullman, Florence, Huntsville Private(Assemblies of God) SACS Students are able to pursue a degree from Southeastern University while dually-enrolled at Highlands College in Birmingham. Additionally, SEU has instructional sites at four churches in Birmingham, Cullman, Florence, and Huntsville. United States Army Command and General Staff College Redstone Arsenal Public(Army) HLC

Additionally, several for-profit colleges and universities based in other states have campuses in Alabama:

Fortis Institute has campuses in Birmingham, Dothan, Mobile, and Montgomery Herzing University has a campus in Birmingham Remington College has a campus in Mobile South University has a campus in Montgomery Strayer University has a campus in Birmingham

Defunct institutions

Institution Location(s) Control Type Founded Closed RefAlabama Presbyterian CollegeAnniston PrivateBaccalaureate college 1906 1918Concordia College AlabamaSelma Private(Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod)Baccalaureate college 1922 2018 Daniel Payne College Birmingham Private(AME) Baccalaureate college 1889 1979 Judson College Marion Private(Southern Baptist Convention) Baccalaureate college 1838 2021 Southeastern Bible College Birmingham Private(Interdenominational) Special-focus institution (Bible college) 1934 2017 Southern Benedictine College CullmanPrivate(Catholic) Baccalaureate college 1929 1979 Virginia College Birmingham Private(for-profit) Baccalaureate/Associate's college 1983 2018 Birmingham–Southern CollegeBirmingham Private(United Methodist Church)Baccalaureate college 1856 2024

See also

List of college athletic programs in Alabama Higher education in the United States List of American institutions of higher education List of recognized higher education accreditation organizations

Notes

References

External links Department of Education listing of accredited institutions in Alabama