How Colleges in Alabama Are Governed and Organized

Alabama has no single college office. Higher education here is split among public university systems, a statewide community college system, private and faith-based schools, and a large group of career and beauty schools. Our directory lists 121 of these institutions, from Troy University in Pike County to Selma University in the Black Belt. Knowing which category a school belongs to tells you who sets its rules, who accredits it, and where to take a complaint.

The Alabama Commission on Higher Education, usually shortened to ACHE, is the state's coordinating agency. It does not run campuses. It reviews new degree programs at public institutions, administers state student aid programs, and handles state authorization for private and out-of-state schools that want to operate in Alabama. ACHE also maintains the Statewide Transfer and Articulation Reporting System, known as STARS, which shows how courses transfer between public colleges.

Each public four-year university answers to its own board of trustees. The University of Alabama System, based at 401 Queen City Avenue in Tuscaloosa, oversees campuses in Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Huntsville. Troy University, Alabama A & M University, and the University of West Alabama in Livingston each have separate governing boards. That matters in a dispute. A grade appeal at Troy goes through Troy, not through Tuscaloosa.

Public two-year colleges belong to the Alabama Community College System, which is separate from the university boards. Our listings include Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Calhoun Community College in Tanner, Central Alabama Community College in Alexander, Lurleen B Wallace Community College in Andalusia, and the Bay Minette campus of Coastal Alabama Community College. These colleges offer associate degrees, short certificates, and workforce training, usually at a much lower price per credit hour than a four-year university.

Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, and the Gulf Coast: Where Colleges Cluster

The biggest cluster of listings is in Jefferson County, which covers Birmingham, Bessemer, Hoover, and Gardendale. The mix is wide. The University of Alabama at Birmingham anchors the university side, while our listings also include career-focused names such as Alabama State College of Barber Styling at 753 Main Street in Gardendale. Commutes across the Birmingham metro are short, so students here can compare several schools and pair a community college start with a later university transfer.

In north Alabama, Madison County centers on Huntsville. Alabama A & M University, at 4900 Meridian Street North, is a historically Black land-grant university with strong programs in engineering, agriculture, and the sciences. Aerospace and defense employers, including Redstone Arsenal and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, shape what many local students study. Paul Mitchell The School-Huntsville, on Sullivan Street in Madison, covers the cosmetology side.

Central Alabama revolves around the capital. Montgomery County is home to Amridge University at 1200 Taylor Road, a private Christian university. Because Montgomery is the seat of state government, many students here study while holding down a day job. If that describes you, ask each admissions office about evening, hybrid, or online sections before you apply.

On the Gulf Coast, Mobile County and Baldwin County form a second major cluster. Bishop State Community College has a campus at 351 North Broad Street in Mobile. Across Mobile Bay, the United States Sports Academy at 1 Academy Drive in Daphne focuses on sports-related education, and Coastal Alabama Community College operates a campus at 1900 U.S. 31 in Bay Minette. Hurricane season runs June through November, and storms can close coastal campuses for days. Check each school's emergency notices before the term begins.

Rural Alabama: Troy, Livingston, Selma, and Florence

Outside the metro areas, one college is often the largest employer and the main cultural venue in town. Troy University sits on University Avenue in Troy, and the University of West Alabama is at 100 Route 11 in Livingston, in Sumter County. Selma University, at 1501 Lapsley Street, is a historically Black Baptist school in Dallas County. Heritage Christian University is on Helton Drive in Florence, in the northwest corner of the state.

Rural campuses usually mean smaller classes and personal advising. The trade-offs are fewer degree programs, limited student housing, and little public transit. Many students commute from surrounding counties, so ask about online courses and satellite sites. Many community colleges also offer dual enrollment for high school students, which can cut the cost of a first year.

Specialized graduate programs exist outside the big cities too. The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine's Auburn campus, at 910 South Donahue Drive, is a medical school in Lee County. Programs like this typically use separate application systems and entry requirements that differ from undergraduate admissions.

Verifying an Alabama College Before You Apply or Enroll

A listing in a directory is not proof that a school is open or enrolling. Several well-known names have closed. ITT Technical Institute shut every campus in 2016, including the one in Bessemer. Judson College in Marion closed in 2021. Brown Mackie College campuses, including the Birmingham location, have also closed, and Birmingham-Southern College ended operations in 2024. One of our listings carries a 706 area code, which belongs to Georgia, so confirm records like that before relying on them.

Before you commit time or money, work through this checklist:

Costs, Aid, and First Steps for Alabama Students

Start with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which most Alabama colleges require for federal and state aid. ACHE administers state programs such as the Alabama Student Assistance Program and the Alabama Student Grant Program, and each school's financial aid office can tell you which ones you qualify for. Families saving early can look at CollegeCounts 529, the state's 529 plan run through the State Treasurer's office.

When you call or visit, have a few things ready: a photo ID, high school or prior college transcripts, ACT scores if the school asks for them, and immunization records for on-campus housing. Alabama public high schools give the ACT to juniors, so many students already have a score. Fall classes at most Alabama colleges begin in August, and priority deadlines for housing and aid often arrive months earlier.

Veterans and service members should contact the school's certifying official about GI Bill benefits. Adult learners and career changers should ask admissions about credit for prior learning. Offices generally keep weekday business hours, so call ahead rather than driving across the county.

Public colleges and universities in Alabama offer residents access to affordable higher education, professional certifications, and workforce training. The Alabama state legislature oversees funding and policy for public institutions, while individual governing boards manage each campus.

Colleges locations are available in 58 cities across Alabama. They are spread across 44 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile, reflecting the presence of major university campuses and community college districts serving large student populations.

Prospective students in Alabama should research in-state tuition rates, available degree programs, and financial aid options at public institutions, as these factors vary significantly between community colleges and four-year universities.

Colleges by Counties

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Students in Alabama applying to public colleges and universities should complete the FAFSA as early as possible to maximize eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Many Alabama institutions also offer state-specific grant programs with additional eligibility criteria.

Browse Colleges by county across Alabama to find the nearest location.

Tuscaloosa, Dothan, and Auburn: Local Notes for Alabama College Seekers

Tuscaloosa County is home to the University of Alabama's flagship campus, and the UA System office on Queen City Avenue is the contact point for system-level questions rather than individual admissions. The city also has Shelton State Community College and Stillman College, so students can compare two-year, four-year, and HBCU options within a few miles. Football weekends in the fall fill hotels and roads, so schedule campus visits on other dates. In the southeast corner, Fortis College-Dothan at 200 Vulcan Way offers career-focused training in Houston County. The Auburn area in Lee County pairs a large public university with the Via osteopathic medical campus on South Donahue Drive.

Weather is part of planning in Alabama. Coastal campuses prepare for hurricanes from June through November. Central and northern campuses face spring tornado season, and the April 2011 outbreak that struck Tuscaloosa is a reminder of why. Sign up for your campus alert system at orientation, and learn where the shelter areas are in your building.

Finally, treat each listing as a starting point. Addresses and phone numbers in public records can lag behind real changes, so a two-minute call saves a wasted trip, especially for smaller career schools. Cross-check anything critical, such as tuition, deadlines, and program availability, against the school's own website and catalog.

Frequently Asked Questions About Colleges in Alabama

Four kinds of bodies matter. The Alabama Commission on Higher Education coordinates public higher education, reviews new degree programs, administers state student aid, and handles state authorization for private and out-of-state schools. The Alabama Community College System governs the public two-year and technical colleges, such as Bishop State in Mobile and Calhoun in Tanner. Each public university, including Troy and Alabama A & M, answers to its own board of trustees. Beauty and barber schools are regulated separately by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. For a complaint, start with the school's own grievance process, then contact the body that oversees that type of school.

Start with your community college advisor and ask for a written transfer plan before you choose classes. Alabama uses a statewide articulation system for public institutions, and ACHE's STARS tool shows how courses completed at one public college count at another. General studies courses usually transfer between public schools, but major-specific classes may not. Calhoun Community College in Tanner and Athens State University in Athens are both in Limestone County, so many local students plan that move early. Confirm everything with the receiving university's admissions office, including minimum grades and GPA requirements for your intended major, and keep copies of your syllabi in case a course needs review.

Call the listed phone number first and ask whether the school is enrolling new students this term. Several names that appear in public records have closed, including ITT Technical Institute in 2016 and Judson College in Marion in 2021. Next, check accreditation in the U.S. Department of Education's database and ask ACHE whether a private degree-granting school is authorized to operate in Alabama. For beauty schools, the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering can confirm whether a school is licensed. If a school has closed, ask ACHE where student transcripts are now kept. Do this before paying any deposit.

Alabama requires cosmetologists and barbers to be licensed by the Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering. The usual path is to complete a program at a licensed school, then pass the board's licensing exams. Our listings include Mitchell Cosmetology College in Alabaster, New Beginning College of Cosmetology in Albertville, Alabama State College of Barber Styling in Gardendale, and Paul Mitchell The School-Huntsville in Madison. Ask each school how many training hours the program covers, whether it prepares you for the exam, and what its exam pass rate has been. Confirm current licensing requirements with the board itself, since hours and fees can change.

Alabama is home to a large number of historically Black colleges and universities. Our listings include Alabama A & M University in Huntsville, a land-grant institution, and Selma University in Selma, a Baptist-affiliated school. Other well-known Alabama HBCUs include Tuskegee University in Macon County, Alabama State University in Montgomery, and Stillman College in Tuscaloosa. Many offer scholarships, close advising, and programs in education, agriculture, engineering, and health fields. Each has its own admissions deadlines and application requirements, so contact the admissions office directly, using the phone numbers on the individual listings where available. Ask about campus visit days, which many schools hold in the fall.

Many Alabama colleges teach beyond their main campus. Troy University, for example, has additional campuses and teaching sites across the state, plus a large online program. Coastal Alabama Community College's Bay Minette campus serves Baldwin County, and Calhoun's Tanner campus serves Limestone County and surrounding areas. Community colleges also run dual-enrollment programs that let high school students earn credit locally. Ask each admissions office which courses are offered in person nearby, which are fully online, and whether labs or clinicals require travel. For nursing, allied health, and trade programs, hands-on requirements often mean at least some time on campus.