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2024 Best Grad Schools in Alabama for Doctorate Degrees

12 Colleges
$81,366 Avg Salary

When pursuing a grad degree in today's world, there are many different options to choose from. College Factual has developed its Best Doctor's Degree Colleges in Alabama ranking as one thing you can use to help make this decision.

Jump to Any of the Following Sections: * Our Methodology

Your Choice of Grad School Matters

After analyzing 12 grad schools in Alabama, we came up with our list of those that offered the best doctorate degree programs. Instead of depending on subjective information to rank the best grad schools, we focus on objective factors in our analysis. More specifically, the following explains what we consider and why.

Better Early-Career Average Salaries

The average early-career salary of those graduating with a doctorate degree is one indicator we use in our analysis to find the schools that offer the highest-quality education. While doctorate degree recipients from schools in Alabama earn an average starting salary of $81,366, those from the top 8 school on this list made an average of $83,866.

Starting Salary  ( 76798 to 89764 )
$0
$96,376

Student Loan Borrowing

In addition to average starting salaries, we also consider the average amount of student loans that graduate students take on while pursuing their doctorate degree. The average debt load at a particular school may not be bad, but it's an important thing to consider in conjunction with post-graduation earnings.

Additional Ranking Factors We Use

Our Best Doctorate Degree Schools considers other factors in addition to average post-graduation earnings and average student debt. These factors include things like the educational resources, the demand associated with the school, whether or not the school offers online classes, and the student body caliber - just to name a few.

To learn more, visit our graduate school ranking methodology page.

Custom Rankings

Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
Master's Degrees Ranking Other Graduate Rankings
You may also want to narrow this list by location to find the best doctorate degree schools nearest you. In addition, we've put together a number of other college rankings that may help you in your search.

Not quite ready to work on your doctorate? Check out our Best Master's Degree Schools ranking.

Top Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama

Learn more about these excellent grad schools below:

1
Samford crest
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama
471 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$80,466 Average Early-Career Earnings

Our 2024 rankings named Samford University the best grad school in Alabama in terms of overall quality for students working on their doctorate degree. Samford is a medium-sized private not-for-profit school situated in Birmingham, Alabama. It awarded 471 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Samford make an average of $80,466 a year.

Learn More About Samford University

2
Auburn crest
Auburn University
Auburn, Alabama
532 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$86,690 Average Early-Career Earnings

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 best doctorate degree schools ranking. Auburn is a public institution located in Auburn, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 532 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a doctorate degree from Auburn make an average of $86,690 per year during the early years of their career.

Full Auburn University Report

3
609 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$87,079 Average Early-Career Earnings

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Alabama at Birmingham. It ranked #3 on our 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama list. UAB is a public institution located in Birmingham, Alabama. The school has a large population, and it awarded 609 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a doctorate degree from UAB make an average of $87,079 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of Alabama at Birmingham

4
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
364 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$81,210 Average Early-Career Earnings

Out of the 12 doctorate degree schools in Alabama that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Alabama landed the #4 spot on the list. UA is a large public school situated in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It awarded 364 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a doctorate degree from UA make an average of $81,210 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on The University of Alabama

5
Columbia Southern University crest
Columbia Southern University
Orange Beach, Alabama
42 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

A rank of #5 on our Best Doctorate Degrees in Alabama list means Columbia Southern University is a great place for students working on their degree. Orange Beach, Alabama is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private for-profit school handed out doctorate degrees to 42 students in 2020-2021.

Full Columbia Southern University Report

6
291 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$76,202 Average Early-Career Earnings

University of South Alabama landed the #6 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. Located in Mobile, Alabama, the fairly large public school handed out 291 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a doctorate degree from USA make an average of $76,202 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of South Alabama

7
77 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$96,376 Average Early-Career Earnings

University of Alabama in Huntsville landed the #7 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. UAH is a public institution located in Huntsville, Alabama. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 77 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a doctorate degree from UAH make an average of $96,376 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on University of Alabama in Huntsville

8
Jacksonville State University crest
Jacksonville State University
Jacksonville, Alabama
13 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

With a ranking of #8, Jacksonville State University did quite well on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama list. This medium-sized public school is located in Jacksonville, Alabama, and it awarded 13 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Jacksonville State University

9
University of West Alabama crest
University of West Alabama
Livingston, Alabama
17 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

University of West Alabama landed the #9 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. Located in Livingston, Alabama, the medium-sized public school awarded 17 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.

Read full report on University of West Alabama

10
TROY crest
Troy University
Troy, Alabama
32 Doctorate Degrees Awarded

Troy University landed the #10 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. TROY is a public institution located in Troy, Alabama. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 32 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

Full Troy University Report

11
Alabama State crest
Alabama State University
Montgomery, Alabama
38 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$77,554 Average Early-Career Earnings

Alabama State University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. Alabama State University is a small public school located in Montgomery, Alabama that handed out 38 doctorate degrees in 2020-2021.

During the early years of their career, doctorate degree graduates from Alabama State make an average of $77,554 a year.

Read full report on Alabama State University

12
Tuskegee crest
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama
65 Doctorate Degrees Awarded
$85,353 Average Early-Career Earnings

Tuskegee University landed the #12 spot on the 2024 Best Doctorate Degree Schools in Alabama ranking. Located in Tuskegee, Alabama, the small private not-for-profit school awarded 65 diplomas to qualifed doctorate degree students in 2020-2021.

Graduates with a doctorate degree from Tuskegee make an average of $85,353 per year during the early years of their career.

Read full report on Tuskegee University

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Notes and References

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