Best colleges for education in Alabama

    University of Alabama at Birmingham ranks first in Alabama for education value (#104 nationally, value score 67): graduates earn $52,435 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,630 a year.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition · Source: College Scorecard field of study, reporting year 2025 · 13 Alabama colleges ranked · Updated November 4, 2026

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    Best education colleges in Alabama

    University of Alabama at Birmingham ranks first in Alabama for education value (#104 nationally, value score 67): graduates earn $52,435 4 years after the bachelor's degree, and the average net price is $15,630 a year. 13 Alabama colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $48,956 and the average net price is $17,850 a year.

    Source: U.S. College Scorecard field of study, 2025

    What the data shows

    Key findings

    • 13 Alabama colleges qualify. At the median one, education graduates earn $48,956 and the average net price is $17,850 a year.
    • The lowest average net price among them is at Alabama State University: $9,775 a year.
    Median earnings
    $48,956
    National: $48,822
    Median net price
    $17,850
    National: $17,201
    Median federal debt
    $21,762
    education graduates
    Public colleges
    11 of 13
    in this list

    13 colleges

    The Alabama ranking

    Ordered by the national value score; the national rank is shown with each college. Earnings are medians 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    1. Rank in Alabama 1

      University of Alabama at Birmingham

      Birmingham, AL · Public · #104 nationally

      67.0Value
      Earnings
      $52,435
      Net price
      $15,630
      Federal debt
      $21,969
      Graduation rate
      66%
    2. Rank in Alabama 2

      Samford University

      Birmingham, AL · Private nonprofit · #174 nationally

      58.4Value
      Earnings
      $52,171
      Net price
      $32,950
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      78%
    3. Rank in Alabama 3

      Auburn University

      Auburn, AL · Public · #213 nationally

      54.1Value
      Earnings
      $49,258
      Net price
      $25,424
      Federal debt
      $19,500
      Graduation rate
      82%
    4. Rank in Alabama 4

      The University of Alabama

      Tuscaloosa, AL · Public · #226 nationally

      53.3Value
      Earnings
      $49,007
      Net price
      $20,202
      Federal debt
      $21,500
      Graduation rate
      74%
    5. Rank in Alabama 5

      Alabama State University

      Montgomery, AL · Public · #256 nationally

      50.2Value
      Earnings
      $51,014
      Net price
      $9,775
      Federal debt
      $29,998
      Graduation rate
      31%
    6. Rank in Alabama 6

      Troy University

      Troy, AL · Public · #274 nationally

      48.3Value
      Earnings
      $49,195
      Net price
      $13,943
      Federal debt
      $25,750
      Graduation rate
      50%
    7. Rank in Alabama 7

      University of South Alabama

      Mobile, AL · Public · #289 nationally

      46.9Value
      Earnings
      $48,956
      Net price
      $16,801
      Federal debt
      $24,535
      Graduation rate
      55%
    8. Rank in Alabama 8

      Auburn University at Montgomery

      Montgomery, AL · Public · #291 nationally

      46.7Value
      Earnings
      $48,715
      Net price
      $13,789
      Federal debt
      $23,500
      Graduation rate
      35%
    9. Rank in Alabama 9

      University of North Alabama

      Florence, AL · Public · #298 nationally

      46.1Value
      Earnings
      $47,973
      Net price
      $17,850
      Federal debt
      $21,762
      Graduation rate
      56%
    10. Rank in Alabama 10

      University of Montevallo

      Montevallo, AL · Public · #303 nationally

      45.8Value
      Earnings
      $47,823
      Net price
      $18,760
      Federal debt
      $21,000
      Graduation rate
      56%
    11. Rank in Alabama 11

      Jacksonville State University

      Jacksonville, AL · Public · #337 nationally

      42.5Value
      Earnings
      $47,385
      Net price
      $17,111
      Federal debt
      $21,500
      Graduation rate
      48%
    12. Rank in Alabama 12

      University of Alabama in Huntsville

      Huntsville, AL · Public · #401 nationally

      35.0Value
      Earnings
      $42,922
      Net price
      $22,758
      Federal debt
      $16,500
      Graduation rate
      62%
    13. Rank in Alabama 13

      University of Mobile

      Mobile, AL · Private nonprofit · #478 nationally

      24.6Value
      Earnings
      $45,152
      Net price
      $23,931
      Federal debt
      $27,000
      Graduation rate
      57%

    Method: the same value score as the national education ranking (earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate, each a national percentile). Data: College Scorecard, reporting year 2025; 2026–27 edition, verified Nov 2026.

    Questions about education colleges in Alabama

    What are the best colleges for education in Alabama?

    By CollegesRef value score, the top 3 Alabama colleges for education are University of Alabama at Birmingham (value score 67), Samford University (value score 58.4) and Auburn University (value score 54.1). The score weighs graduate earnings, debt relative to earnings, average net price and graduation rate.

    Which Alabama college has the highest earnings for education graduates?

    University of Alabama at Birmingham: its education graduates have median earnings of $52,435 4 years after the bachelor's degree.

    What is the most affordable education college in Alabama on this list?

    Alabama State University has the lowest average net price of the ranked Alabama colleges, $9,775 a year after grants. A family's own price depends on income and aid.

    How many Alabama colleges are ranked for education?

    13 Alabama colleges have a education bachelor's program with enough graduates and reported earnings, plus a published net price and graduation rate. Ranks shown are national; the state rank is their order within Alabama.