Alabama State University

Alabama State University ranked 180th in the 2027 U.S. News National Liberal Arts Colleges ranking, rising from 395th in 2026. Gaining admission is broadly accessible to applicants. In 2025, the university admitted 97.6% of applicants, an acceptance rate higher than all peer schools in a comparison group of 30 similarly ranked liberal arts colleges. This open admissions posture results in very few applicant denials during each admissions cycle. Meanwhile, the school sees a modest portion of admitted applicants choose to enroll. The yield rate in 2025 stood at 15%, which was higher than 63% of peer schools in the comparison group. For prospective students, these metrics show an institution where qualifying candidates face minimal barriers to acceptance, though admitted students often evaluate multiple collegiate options before committing.

Standardized testing figures at Alabama State University indicate an accessible academic threshold for incoming students. Among enrolled students in 2025, the middle 50% composite ACT score ranged between 15 and 20. For those providing SAT results, the median SAT score was 858, which was lower than all peer schools in a comparison group of 26 similarly ranked liberal arts colleges. Test submission has dropped over time, with only 34% of entering students submitting ACT scores in 2025, while SAT submissions accounted for a negligible share. High school academic records indicate that incoming students most frequently enter with cumulative grade point averages in the moderate range. For applicants, admission does not depend on elevated standardized examination results, and regular high school coursework serves as the central evaluation benchmark.

Degree conferrals at Alabama State University are moderately concentrated, with the top three bachelor's majors accounting for 31.8% of the 481 undergraduate degrees awarded in 2025. The leading undergraduate program was Biology/Biological Sciences with 62 graduates, followed closely by Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies and Criminal Justice/Safety Studies. While these represent the largest undergraduate fields, the university's strongest national recognition appears in specialized graduate programs. Specifically, its master's program in Rehabilitation Counseling achieved a rank of 43 in the 2026 U.S. News rankings, whereas its largest undergraduate majors do not appear among top-ranked lists. In terms of early career outcomes, earnings data from 2023 indicate that bachelor's degree recipients in Teacher Education and Professional Development led earnings with a median salary of $49,960 one year after graduation, followed by criminal justice graduates. Prospective applicants should note that while undergraduate enrollment focuses heavily on the biological and social sciences, the university's top academic rankings belong to its health science graduate disciplines.

In 2025, Alabama State University enrolled 4,081 students across its undergraduate and graduate programs. Black students form the primary demographic on campus, representing 80.4% of the first-year undergraduate cohort and a similar majority among continuing undergraduates. International and Asian students represent very small segments across all academic divisions. Among continuing undergraduates, international students number 62, while Asian students number 6. At the graduate level, international students make up a similarly small share alongside a handful of Asian students. Women constitute the majority of students across both undergraduate and graduate levels. For prospective applicants, the university presents an educational environment centered around its historically Black student community, with relatively limited representation from international and Asian backgrounds.

The undergraduate population at Alabama State University is predominantly of traditional college age, shaping an active campus environment centered on early adulthood. Among the 3,521 undergraduates enrolled in 2025, students aged 18 to 19 formed the largest segment at 46.4%, followed by students aged 20 to 21, who represented more than a quarter of the undergraduate body. In contrast, the 560 graduate students exhibit a more mature demographic spread. Students aged 22 to 24 made up the largest graduate group at 31.4%, while another quarter were between 25 and 29 years old, and a notable group was in their forties. This distribution creates a distinct divide between a traditional, youthful undergraduate setting and a career-oriented graduate community.

International students comprise a small but growing presence at Alabama State University across both degree levels. In 2025, international undergraduates represented 2.5% of the undergraduate student body, an increase from earlier years, placing the institution higher than 30% of peer schools in a comparison group of 30 similarly ranked liberal arts colleges. At the graduate level, the international proportion reached 3.9% in 2025, also reflecting upward growth over time. Graduation outcomes in 2025 show that international scholars completed degrees across academic tiers, culminating in 8.6% of doctoral degrees awarded. At the undergraduate level, international graduates were absent from major fields such as biology and criminal justice, appearing instead in interdisciplinary studies. At the advanced level, international master's degree recipients concentrated in business administration and accounting, while doctoral recipients were found in microbiology. Overall, international enrollment remains focused in targeted academic disciplines.

Prospective students considering Alabama State University will find several prominent higher education institutions located within driving distance in the state. Just 49.8 kilometers away in Auburn, Auburn University is a large national university ranked 100th in the 2027 rankings. Heading toward the Birmingham area, Samford University is a private national university located 81.3 kilometers away and ranked 191st. Also situated in that region, University of Alabama at Birmingham sits 84.1 kilometers from Montgomery and holds a ranking of 137th among national universities. Further west in Tuscaloosa, The University of Alabama is located 93.3 kilometers away and ranks 156th. These neighboring campuses provide alternative academic settings and campus sizes for families comparing college options across central Alabama.

Campus safety trends at Alabama State University have improved over the past decade. The crime rate per 1,000 students declined from 12.9 in 2016 to 6.9 in 2025, representing a substantial reduction despite a temporary rise in the intervening years. Between 2023 and 2025, property offenses and substance-related violations accounted for the vast majority of documented campus security incidents. Theft was the single largest category, with 64 incidents reported over that three-year span. During the same period, campus authorities recorded 26 drug arrests, alongside smaller numbers of disciplinary referrals and domestic violence cases. Infractions involving weapons or physical assault occurred infrequently across those three years. While violent offenses remain limited, prospective students should take standard precautions regarding personal property and familiarize themselves with university conduct policies.