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Best colleges in Alabama

Choosing a college is one of the most important decisions a person will make for their education, impacting everything from future earnings and employment to potential student loan debt and social circles.

While every student wants to get the best education they possibly can, there are myriad considerations to take into account: location, size, diversity, areas of focus, study abroad opportunities—the list goes on. While best college lists are often topped with the same handful of expensive Ivy League schools, the U.S. is home to more than 4,000 degree-granting schools spread out across all 50 states and several territories, with amazing education offerings for students to consider.

Stacker compiled a list of the best four-year colleges in Alabama using rankings from Niche. Tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, acceptance rate, and graduation rate are factors considered in deciding these rankings. Location is also often a key factor in a school’s appeal, whether it be a beachside location, one full of New England foliage, or proximity to tech hubs and companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google. Online and unspecified location schools were excluded from the rankings. Keep reading to see the best schools in your state.

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#25. Herzing University – Birmingham

– Acceptance rate: 92%
– Net price: $25,741
– Enrollment: 273 (20:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Campus grade: A
— Value grade: B-
— Party grade: B-

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#24. Talladega College

– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Net price: $17,180
– Enrollment: 1,097 (22:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: D
— Party grade: B-
— Diversity grade: C+
— Athletics grade: C+

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#23. Miles College

– Acceptance rate: 100%
– Net price: $14,740
– Enrollment: 1,354 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C-
— Party grade: B+
— Athletics grade: B
— Campus food grade: B

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#22. Stillman College

– Acceptance rate: 56%
– Net price: $19,922
– Enrollment: 650 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C-
— Party grade: A-
— Campus food grade: B+
— Athletics grade: B-

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#21. Alabama State University

– Acceptance rate: 99%
– Net price: $13,282
– Enrollment: 3,289 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C-
— Party grade: A
— Athletics grade: B+
— Diversity grade: B

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#20. Alabama A&M University

– Acceptance rate: 90%
– Net price: $15,373
– Enrollment: 4,663 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C-
— Party grade: A
— Athletics grade: B+
— Diversity grade: B-

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#19. Oakwood University

– Acceptance rate: 89%
– Net price: $27,330
– Enrollment: 1,240 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C-
— Diversity grade: A-
— Dorms grade: B-
— Academics grade: C+

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#18. Tuskegee University

– Acceptance rate: 61%
– Net price: $36,528
– Enrollment: 2,170 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: C+
— Party grade: A
— Academics grade: B
— Diversity grade: B

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#17. Auburn University at Montgomery

– Acceptance rate: 96%
– Net price: $14,182
– Enrollment: 3,374 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A-
— Dorms grade: A-
— Athletics grade: B

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#16. Faulkner University

– Acceptance rate: 76%
– Net price: $19,889
– Enrollment: 1,361 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A
— Dorms grade: A
— Safety grade: A-

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#15. Huntingdon College

– Acceptance rate: 54%
– Net price: $22,026
– Enrollment: 789 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: B+
— Campus food grade: B+
— Safety grade: B+

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#14. University of Montevallo

– Acceptance rate: 61%
– Net price: $18,702
– Enrollment: 1,998 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B-
— Diversity grade: A-
— Academics grade: B
— Campus grade: B

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#13. The University of West Alabama

– Acceptance rate: 93%
– Net price: $15,685
– Enrollment: 1,775 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Dorms grade: A
— Safety grade: A
— Diversity grade: A-

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#12. Troy University

– Acceptance rate: 92%
– Net price: $13,257
– Enrollment: 8,208 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Athletics grade: A
— Campus food grade: A
— Dorms grade: A-

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#11. Birmingham-Southern College

– Acceptance rate: 60%
– Net price: $21,474
– Enrollment: 1,126 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Academics grade: B+
— Party grade: B+
— Professors grade: B+

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#10. Spring Hill College

– Acceptance rate: 54%
– Net price: $23,067
– Enrollment: 1,034 (12:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Diversity grade: A-
— Party grade: A-
— Value grade: B+

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#9. University of North Alabama

– Acceptance rate: 83%
– Net price: $13,279
– Enrollment: 4,708 (16:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Diversity grade: A-
— Campus grade: A-
— Athletics grade: A-

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#8. Jacksonville State University

– Acceptance rate: 64%
– Net price: $13,616
– Enrollment: 6,031 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Campus food grade: A+
— Student life grade: A
— Campus grade: A-

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#7. University of Mobile

– Acceptance rate: 67%
– Net price: $22,197
– Enrollment: 1,106 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B
— Dorms grade: A+
— Campus grade: A
— Campus food grade: A

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#6. University of South Alabama

– Acceptance rate: 73%
– Net price: $14,822
– Enrollment: 7,611 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Diversity grade: A
— Dorms grade: A
— Campus grade: A-

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#5. The University of Alabama in Huntsville

– Acceptance rate: 77%
– Net price: $16,990
– Enrollment: 6,730 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: B+
— Diversity grade: A-
— Campus food grade: A-
— Academics grade: B+

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#4. Samford University

– Acceptance rate: 84%
– Net price: $31,322
– Enrollment: 3,501 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A-
— Value grade: A-
— Campus grade: A-
— Professors grade: A-

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#3. The University of Alabama

– Acceptance rate: 80%
– Net price: $20,518
– Enrollment: 27,750 (17:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A-
— Campus grade: A+
— Athletics grade: A+
— Party grade: A+

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#2. Auburn University

– Acceptance rate: 85%
– Net price: $24,028
– Enrollment: 22,458 (15:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A
— Athletics grade: A+
— Student life grade: A+
— Campus grade: A

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#1. University of Alabama – Birmingham

– Acceptance rate: 81%
– Net price: $16,978
– Enrollment: 10,402 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Overall Niche grade: A
— Professors grade: A+
— Academics grade: A
— Diversity grade: A