by our College Data Analytics TeamWith all of the options you have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its Top Alabama Colleges ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.
Our analysis looked at 42 schools in Alabama to determine which ones were the best in terms of overall quality. To come up with this ranking, we look at more than 20 factors that are all objective measurements. These factors include freshman retention, graduation rate, student-to-faculty ratio, and post graduate earnings, among other things.
We've developed a number of other tools and rankings to help you make your college decision. Start by filtering this list by location or field of study and then explore our other rankings that feature schools great for different groups of students such as veterans or returnings adults.
We've created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you're torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another!
Learn more about these excellent schools below:
Our 2025 rankings named Columbia Southern University the best school in Alabama in terms of overall quality for students working on their bachelor’s degree.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Columbia Southern University is $63,534 during the early years of their career.
You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Auburn University. The school came in at #2 in Alabama on this year’s overall quality ranking.
With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $65,337 during the early years of their career..
Out of the 42 schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Alabama landed the #3 spot on the list.
With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from UA go into careers with an average salary of $59,221 during the early years of their career.
You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Alabama at Birmingham. It ranked #4 on our 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama list.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from UAB is $54,501 during the early years of their career.
Out of the 42 schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s ranking, Samford University landed the #5 spot on the list.
With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $58,469 during the early years of their career..
With a ranking of #6, Wallace Community College, Dothan did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Wallace, Dothan make an average of $31,399 a year.
Bishop State Community College landed the #7 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Bishop State Community College is $29,916 during the early years of their career.
Shelton State Community College did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking, coming in at #8.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Shelton State Community College is $35,014 during the early years of their career.
Lurleen B Wallace Community College ranked #9 on this year’s Best Colleges in Alabama list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Lurleen B. Wallace Community College make an average of $32,307 a year.
Bevill State Community College came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Bevill State Community College make an average of $34,107 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #11, University of South Alabama did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $49,379 during the early years of their career..
Gadsden State Community College came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from GSCC make an average of $32,937 per year during the early years of their career.
John C Calhoun State Community College landed the #13 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Calhoun Community College make an average of $38,192 per year during the early years of their career.
Marion Military Institute did quite well in the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking, coming in at #14.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Marion Military Institute make an average of $59,644 a year.
Wallace Community College, Selma landed the #15 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from WCCS make an average of $31,598 per year during the early years of their career.
With a ranking of #16, Lawson State Community College - Birmingham Campus did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama list.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $31,701 during the early years of their career..
Full Lawson State Community College - Birmingham Campus Report
University of Alabama in Huntsville came in at #17 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $61,767 during the early years of their career..
Athens State University landed the #18 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
The average salary of a graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Athens State University is $50,273 during the early years of their career.
Coastal Alabama Community College landed the #19 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Coastal Alabama Community College go into careers with an average salary of $34,894 during the early years of their career.
Wallace State Community College, Hanceville ranked #20 on this year’s Best Colleges in Alabama list.
Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from Wallace State, Hanceville make an average of $39,842 per year during the early years of their career.
Enterprise State Community College came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Those who receive a bachelor’s degree from Enterprise-Ozark Community College go into careers with an average salary of $42,572 during the early years of their career.
University of North Alabama ranked #22 on this year’s Best Colleges in Alabama list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from UNA make an average of $45,415 a year.
With a ranking of #23, Jefferson State Community College did quite well on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama list.
During the early years of their career, graduates from Jeff State make an average of $40,719 a year.
Troy University ranked #24 on this year’s Best Colleges in Alabama list.
The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Graduates with a bachelor’s degree from TROY make an average of $42,062 per year during the early years of their career.
Jacksonville State University landed the #25 spot on the 2025 Best Colleges in Alabama ranking.
Upon graduation, bachelor’s degree recipients go on to jobs making an average salary of $45,235 during the early years of their career..
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Footnotes
*These averages are for the top 25 schools only.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.