by our College Data Analytics Team
With all of the graduate school options in Alabama, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. We have ranked **10** graduate schools by overall quality and student outcomes, using our 2026 methodology.
To arm you with the information you need, College Factual analyzed 10 graduate schools across over 20 objective factors such as graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, and per-student spending, drawing primarily on U.S. Department of Education data (IPEDS and College Scorecard). Learn more about our ranking methodology.
This is how starting salaries are distributed among the top-ranked graduate schools:
Explore the leading graduate schools below:
Leading the list is Auburn University, our #1 graduate school in Alabama. Auburn University is a public school based in Auburn, AL. Auburn University graduates 82% of students within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,890, compared with $34,922 for out-of-state students. Graduates go on to earn a median of $55,422 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $22,803.
A rank of #2 makes The University Of Alabama one of the top graduate schools in Alabama. Located in Tuscaloosa, AL, The University Of Alabama is a public institution. The University Of Alabama posts a six-year graduation rate of 73%. In-state tuition and fees run about $12,180, while out-of-state students pay about $34,172. A year after graduating, students earn a median of $50,740. Students borrow a median of $24,496 to complete a degree here.
Samford University came in at #3 on this year's Best Graduate Schools ranking in Alabama. This private not-for-profit school is set in Birmingham, AL. Roughly 77% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees run about $40,150. Early-career graduates earn a median of $64,132. Students borrow a median of $21,039 to complete a degree here.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Alabama At Huntsville one of the top graduate schools in Alabama. Based in Huntsville, AL, University Of Alabama At Huntsville is a public institution. The six-year graduation rate is 64%. Students from in state pay about $12,132 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $26,408. Early-career graduates earn a median of $62,903. University Of Alabama At Huntsville students take on a median of $24,797 in debt.
A rank of #5 makes University Of Alabama At Birmingham one of the top graduate schools in Alabama. Based in Birmingham, AL, University Of Alabama At Birmingham is a public institution. University Of Alabama At Birmingham graduates 64% of students within six years. In-state tuition and fees average $9,098, while out-of-state students pay about $22,562. University Of Alabama At Birmingham graduates report median early-career earnings of $55,413. The median student debt is $26,162.
University Of West Alabama ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Located in Livingston, AL, University Of West Alabama is a public institution. University Of West Alabama posts a six-year graduation rate of 28%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,990, with out-of-state students paying around $20,090. Graduates go on to earn a median of $53,270 early in their careers. Students borrow a median of $31,894 to complete a degree here.
University Of South Alabama came in at #7 in this year's ranking. This public school is set in Mobile, AL. Roughly 52% of students complete a degree within six years here. In-state tuition and fees average $10,116, with out-of-state students paying around $19,092. Graduates go on to earn a median of $51,592 early in their careers. The median student debt is $26,513.
Columbia Southern University ranked #8 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. Located in Orange Beach, AL, Columbia Southern University is a private for-profit institution. Columbia Southern University graduates 26% of students within six years. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $6,224. Graduates go on to earn a median of $63,650 early in their careers. Columbia Southern University students take on a median of $25,447 in debt.
Faulkner University landed the #9 spot in Alabama this year. Located in Montgomery, AL, Faulkner University is a private not-for-profit institution. About 38% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $23,920. Faulkner University graduates report median early-career earnings of $46,934. Typical student debt is $29,942.
Amridge University came in at #10 in this year's ranking. Amridge University is a private not-for-profit school based in Montgomery, AL. About 100% of students finish within six years. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,470. Early-career graduates earn a median of $46,125.
United States Sports Academy placed #11 among the best graduate schools in Alabama. Located in Daphne, AL, United States Sports Academy is a private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $20,700. United States Sports Academy graduates report median early-career earnings of $62,592.
Alabama A And M University ranked #12 on our 2026 list of the best graduate schools. This public school is set in Normal, AL. Alabama A And M University posts a six-year graduation rate of 24%. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,024, while out-of-state students pay about $18,634. Graduates go on to earn a median of $45,909 early in their careers. Typical student debt is $31,896.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked graduate schools only.
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of student outcomes (graduation rate, post-graduation earnings), affordability, and per-student spending drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
References
Read more about our data sources and methodologies.