Seven Alabama universities ranked in the top 30 in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings for multiple categories and academic programs.
Alabama universities perform well in nursing, veterans programs, value for money, and first-year experience. US News and World Report is one of several media outlets that rank universities.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham ranks 13th among nursing programs, and the University of Alabama ranks 26th in the same category with the University of California, Irvine. The top program is Emory University.
To determine these rankings, U.S. News and World Report surveyed deans and senior faculty of nursing programs and ranked the academic quality of 686 accredited undergraduate programs on a five-point scale. Five are outstanding and one is marginal.
The University of Montevallo ranks 8th in the best value ranking. A university’s academic quality, as scored in the best university rankings, is the first factor in determining the best value. Next, U.S. News & World Report looked at how many full-time undergraduate students receive need-based scholarships and grants and how much they pay. First place goes to Murray State University.
The University of North Alabama is ranked #11 as the best college for veterans. Troy University and Auburn University in Montgomery were ranked 21st and 29th, respectively. AUM has partnered with Charleston Southern. The top college is The Citadel.
To be on the list, schools must be GI Bill accredited and have a minimum of 20 full-time and part-time undergraduate veterans and active military members for the 2023-2024 school year. Schools must also rank in the top half of one of the university-wide categories, such as Regional College of the Year or Regional College of the Year.
Auburn ranks 29th in first-year experience. Fifteen schools were nominated by university presidents, provosts, and deans of admissions for the best first-year experiences. Rankings are determined based on the total number of nominations. Schools must receive at least 10 nominations to be ranked. Elon University is at the top of the list.
AL.com has compiled 2025 national and regional rankings of universities, including HBCUs.
