UA enrollment reflects strategic growth, continued investment in preparing leaders

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - Enrollment at The University of Alabama holds strong at more than 42,000 students, with a growing number of those from Alabama.

Total fall 2026 enrollment reached 42,431, up 71 students from the fall 2025 census total of 42,360. While the total is a new record, the measured increase reflects a deliberate approach to strategic growth as UA advances its future-ready flagship vision.

UA enrolled 18,652 Alabama residents, up 3.6% from 18,007 last year. The growth reinforces UA's role as the state's flagship university and its commitment to Alabama students who go on to serve the state's workforce and communities.

The academic profile of first-time undergraduates continues to increase with an average high school GPA of 3.86. The freshman class boasts 280 National Merit Scholars who join more than 1,200 National Merit students enrolled at the Capstone this fall.

"These numbers reflect purposeful progress," UA President Peter Mohler said. "Our success cannot simply be measured by the size of our enrollment, but will be demonstrated by the impact of our students when they graduate. We will be a university known for the development of leaders shaping the future of Alabama and beyond."

"We will continue to evaluate and align enrollment strategies to meet the workforce needs of our state and nation and ensure every student who enrolls at UA leaves our campus prepared for a career of impact."

The in-state increase is a key marker of UA's commitment to develop talent for Alabama, an investment that starts well before students set foot on campus. Programs like Crimson Compass extend that commitment earlier, offering in-state high school students college-readiness support through Tide to Success, a free self-paced online course with ACT test preparation, and UA ACTivate, a summer residential program that pairs ACT strategies with an introduction to campus life.

Early College enrollment climbed by double digits this year, a program that helps high school students across Alabama earn college credit in their own communities. The continued increase reflects UA's ongoing effort to broaden access and prepare more Alabama students for college through targeted advising, mentoring and scholarship programs.

Across campus, UA continues to pair access with outcomes. Commitment to student success is showing measurable results: UA's six-year graduation rate for the 2020 cohort reached 75.5%, a record high since the University began tracking the measure in 1988. Student success is reflected in stories like an Alabama transfer student who became a campus leader, UA students earning Fulbright awards for 2026-2027 and record participation in the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference. Together, these examples show how UA turns student opportunity into leadership, discovery and service to Alabama and beyond.