2016 Alabama University Academic Rankings

University Benchmarks

Ranking the Top 100 Academic Universities

UniversityBenchmarks.com ranks the universities that attract and produce the best academic students.

There are many 'University Rankings' on the internet. Most rankings rely heavily on subjective metrics like 'reputation' and 'selectivity'. UniversityBenchmarks is purely an academic ranking model. The rankings are based on the reported academic and financial metrics of the colleges. There are no subjective factors like 'reputation' that are used. The calculations are performed using normal statistical models. All universities are considered equal and there is no weighting of the ranking categories.

The university 2014-2015 dataset is comprised of over 2400 US Universities & Colleges and comes from multiple sources using the most favorable reported metrics for a university.

The universities are ranked against each other in each filtered set. It is an iterative process whereby lower ranking universities are removed and the set is re-ranked until the final set of 100 is reached.

Selecting 'Rank Top 10 Only' will show the Top 10 for each filter category ranked against each other.

The academic rankings of the universities within the major conferences (ACC, Big12, Big10, Pac12, SEC) are available.

The 2017 rankings will be available in August.

Notes:

It is possible for universities to be ranked higher/lower than one another depending on the filter set.
Conference averages are based on the top 8 schools in the conference.
Public Schools are highlighted
Clicking on the university's seal icon will take you to the university's website.

Ranking Fields

Rank - Overall rank based on the average of the ranking fields (Scores, Difficulty, Smartest, Brainpower, Faculty and Research).

Scores - SAT & ACT scores. The university's test scores are corrected for dropout rate when score level is Good, Excellent or Elite. This will slightly boost scores for highly competitive schools.

Difficulty - Academic rigor is estimated based on how difficult it is to get an "A" at the university. An estimated GPA at the university is calculated for the average US Student. University grade inflation, average GPA, and STEM density are factors.

Smartest - University that can field the highest scoring students based on the average US University size. Higher Smartest Rank = "Smartest for the Average University"

Brainpower - The average "smartest" rank using 5 reference populations (CalTech, MIT, Stanford, GaTech and Berkeley). Higher Brainpower Rank = "Higher Density of Smart Students". The university ranked higher can mathematically field 'X' number of smarter students than universities ranked below them.

Faculty - Ranking based on number of % of faculty with awards and academy membership.

Research - Ranking is achieved by iteratively ranking the average of 3 research metrics (r-pop, r-stem, r-other ). The lowest ranked college is then removed and the new set is re-ranked. The result is the schools with potentially the strongest research environments per student bubble up to the top regardless of size or research budget.

r-pop - Average research spending for student population
r-stem - STEM research spending
r-other - Other/Medical/Health research spending

Salary ROI - "Salary Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. Using the undergraduate average starting and mid-career salaries, the rank is based on a 20yr salary accumulation (with raises) minus the cost of a 4 year education at the university. Salaries are normalized across the country using the average COLA for the university's geo-economic region (7 regions total). The COLA effect is diminished by the level of the university. Elite, Excellent and Good universities have a greater distribution of graduates across the country and a diminishing COLA effect. The resultant value would be the graduate's spending potential over the 20yr period.

Overall ROI - "Overall Return on Investment" is not used in the overall ranking but is provided for additional information. The average of Overall Rank and Salary ROI. This would be the "Best academic bang for the buck". Colleges that produce the best education, at the best price, with the best return will be ranked higher.

Color Key - ranks are colorized as follows 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 50 100

State of Alabama University Academic Rankings

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2016 Alabama University Academic Rankings

2016 Alabama University Academic Rankings
rank	value	public	university	state	conference	scores	difficulty	smartest	brainpower	faculty	research	r pop	r stem	r other	salary ROI	overall ROI	scores value	difficulty value	smartest value	brainpower value	faculty value	research value	salary ROI value	overall ROI value	scores	level	stem	drop	gpa avg	research	undergrads	grads	salary	price	scores valid
1	2.17	Public	University of Alabama at Birmingham	Alabama	Conference USA	1	2	3	3	3	1	1	1	1	11	4	1745\|73	2.59\|35	1904\|79	1719\|72	149\|50	1.00\|99	1281547\|64	6.00\|94	1745/1163/26	AboveAverage	34	51	2.95	482	11679	7019	42200	33957	True
1	2.17	Public	Auburn University	Alabama	Southeastern Conference	2	3	2	2	1	3	3	3	2	4	1	1730\|72	2.63\|34	1963\|82	1888\|79	133\|56	2.67\|97	1515212\|76	2.50\|98	1730/1153/26	AboveAverage	31	31	2.95	147	20629	5283	48300	46348	True
3	2.67	Public	University of Alabama in Huntsville	Alabama	Gulf South Conference	2	1	4	5	2	2	2	2	5	3	2	1730\|72	2.38\|41	1773\|74	1512\|63	144\|52	2.00\|98	1582808\|79	3.00\|97	1730/1153/26	AboveAverage	100	50	2.95	80	5618	1730	53000	35606	True
4	4.00	Public	The University of Alabama	Alabama	Southeastern Conference	7	7	1	1	4	4	4	5	3	5	3	1665\|69	2.77\|31	1966\|82	1903\|79	170\|44	3.67\|96	1469716\|73	4.50\|96	1665/1110/25	AboveAverage	10	32	2.90	50	30752	5295	55900	42329	True
5	6.83	Private	Birmingham Southern College	Alabama	Southern Athletic Association	2	4	14	9	6	6	6	6	5	8	6	1730\|72	2.67\|33	1060\|44	1202\|50	300\|0	5.67\|94	1328737\|66	6.50\|94	1730/1153/26	AboveAverage	21	38	2.95	0	1185	0	41100	46788	True
6	7.00	Private	Samford University	Alabama	Southern Conference	6	8	8	8	6	6	6	6	5	6	4	1680\|70	2.80\|30	1535\|64	1262\|53	300\|0	5.67\|94	1394835\|70	6.00\|94	1680/1120/25	AboveAverage	8	27	2.95	0	3051	1882	42500	42270	True
7	8.00	Public	University of South Alabama	Alabama	Sun Belt Conference	12	11	6	6	5	5	4	4	4	9	8	1465\|61	2.96\|26	1688\|70	1424\|59	178\|41	4.00\|96	1300819\|65	8.00\|92	1465/977/22	BelowAverage	33	57	2.80	39	11479	4326	43700	26984	True
8	8.33	Private	Judson College	Alabama	No Conference Affiliation	5	5	15	13	6	6	6	6	5	22	15	1715\|71	2.72\|32	1030\|43	1030\|43	300\|0	5.67\|94	766430\|38	15.00\|85	1715/1143/26	AboveAverage	15	62	2.95	0	378	0	31900	29742	True
9	9.00	Public	Jacksonville State University	Alabama	Ohio Valley Conference	13	12	7	7	6	6	6	6	5	10	9	1445\|60	2.99\|25	1586\|66	1277\|53	300\|0	5.67\|94	1283399\|64	9.50\|91	1445/963/22	BelowAverage	27	64	2.80	0	7647	1012	40400	27029	True
9	9.00	Public	Troy University	Alabama	Sun Belt Conference	15	15	5	4	6	6	6	6	5	12	10	1400\|58	3.03\|24	1692\|71	1537\|64	300\|0	5.67\|94	1231286\|62	10.50\|90	1400/933/21	BelowAverage	29	64	2.80	0	15114	3927	38900	25280	True
11	9.60	Public	University of Montevallo	Alabama	Peach Belt Conference	10	9	11	12	6	6	6	6	5	18	14	1572\|65	2.83\|29	1305\|54	1068\|45	300\|0	5.67\|94	880966\|44	14.50\|86	1572/1048/24	Average	14	55	2.80	0	2664	406	32300	35280	True
12	9.67	Private	University of Mobile	Alabama	Southern States Athletic Conference	8	10	17	11	6	6	6	6	5	1	6	1655\|69	2.85\|29	910\|38	1077\|45	300\|0	5.67\|94	2086007\|100	6.50\|94	1655/1103/25	AboveAverage	7	56	2.95	0	1466	134	60300	33565	True
13	9.83	Private	Spring Hill College	Alabama	Southern States Athletic Conference	9	6	18	14	6	6	6	6	5	24	19	1625\|68	2.73\|32	850\|35	1016\|42	300\|0	5.67\|94	694342\|35	18.50\|82	1625/1083/24	Average	9	38	2.80	0	1237	139	31900	47764	True
14	10.40	Public	University of North Alabama	Alabama	Gulf South Conference	14	13	9	10	6	6	6	6	5	13	13	1442\|60	3.00\|25	1517\|63	1137\|47	300\|0	5.67\|94	1157552\|58	13.50\|87	1442/961/22	BelowAverage	16	63	2.80	0	5885	956	36000	23395	True
15	13.60	Public	Auburn University at Montgomery	Alabama	Southern States Athletic Conference	19	18	10	15	6	6	6	6	5	15	15	1367\|57	3.06\|24	1344\|56	973\|41	300\|0	5.67\|94	1123098\|56	15.00\|85	1367/911/21	BelowAverage	40	64	2.80	0	4377	680	41200	28930	True
16	14.29	Private	Huntingdon College	Alabama	USA South Athletic Conference	15	14	19	19	6	6	6	6	5	14	15	1400\|58	3.03\|24	400\|17	611\|25	300\|0	5.67\|94	1152461\|58	15.00\|85	1400/933/21	BelowAverage	21	47	2.80	0	1160	0	38700	35135	True
17	15.00	Private	Tuskegee University	Alabama	Southern Intercollegiate Athle...	18	17	16	18	6	6	6	6	5	7	11	1370\|57	3.06\|24	1001\|42	737\|31	300\|0	5.67\|94	1352613\|68	12.00\|88	1370/913/21	BelowAverage	41	55	2.80	0	2588	515	49600	34354	True
18	15.40	Public	Alabama State University	Alabama	Southwestern Athletic Conference	22	21	12	16	6	6	6	6	5	16	18	1280\|53	3.15\|21	1296\|54	879\|37	300\|0	5.67\|94	1084978\|54	17.00\|83	1280/853/19	BelowAverage	23	70	2.80	0	4812	707	37500	25222	True
19	15.80	Private	Oakwood University	Alabama	No Conference Affiliation	17	16	20	20	6	6	6	6	5	23	22	1372\|57	3.05\|24	343\|14	586\|24	300\|0	5.67\|94	742398\|37	21.00\|79	1372/914/21	BelowAverage	41	60	2.80	0	1880	59	31900	35750	True
20	15.83	Private	Faulkner University	Alabama	Mid - South Conference / South...	11	24	24	24	6	6	6	6	5	17	19	1565\|65	4.00\|0	-2400\|0	-2400\|0	300\|0	5.67\|94	960000\|48	18.50\|82	1565/1043/23	Unknown	0	67	2.80	0	2670	665	35600	31530	False
21	16.20	Public	Alabama A & M University	Alabama	Southwestern Athletic Conference	23	22	13	17	6	6	6	6	5	21	22	1210\|50	3.19\|20	1167\|49	743\|31	300\|0	5.67\|94	771862\|39	21.00\|79	1210/807/18	BelowAverage	48	65	2.80	0	4210	1123	31900	28384	True
22	17.40	Private	Southeastern Bible College	Alabama	No Conference Affiliation	19	19	21	22	6	6	6	6	5	19	21	1367\|57	3.09\|23	333\|14	333\|14	300\|0	5.67\|94	806626\|40	20.50\|80	1367/911/21	BelowAverage	0	79	2.80	0	173	0	31900	19693	True
23	18.00	Public	University of West Alabama	Alabama	Gulf South Conference	21	20	22	21	6	6	6	6	5	2	12	1333\|56	3.10\|22	267\|11	520\|22	300\|0	5.67\|94	1623680\|81	12.50\|88	1333/889/20	BelowAverage	22	72	2.80	0	1922	2067	53000	25388	True
24	19.80	Private	Stillman College	Alabama	Southern Intercollegiate Athle...	24	23	23	23	6	6	6	6	5	20	24	1205\|50	3.20\|20	9\|0	254\|11	300\|0	5.67\|94	775234\|39	22.00\|78	1205/803/18	BelowAverage	36	62	2.80	0	1056	0	31900	27541	True

2016 Top 10 Alabama University Academic Rankings

rank

value

public

name

state

conference

scores

difficulty

smartest

brainpower

faculty

research

salary ROI

overall ROI

scores

level

stem

drop

gpa avg

research

undergrads

grads

salary

price

2.17

Public

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Alabama

Conference USA

1745/1163/26

AboveAverage

2.95

482

11679

7019

42200

33957

2.17

Public

Auburn University

Alabama

Southeastern Conference

1730/1153/26

AboveAverage

2.95

147

20629

5283

48300

46348

2.67

Public

University of Alabama in Huntsville

Alabama

Gulf South Conference

1730/1153/26

AboveAverage

100

2.95

5618

1730

53000

35606

3.83

Public

The University of Alabama

Alabama

Southeastern Conference

1665/1110/25

AboveAverage

2.90

30752

5295

55900

42329

6.00

Private

Birmingham Southern College

Alabama

Southern Athletic Association

1730/1153/26

AboveAverage

2.95

1185

41100

46788

6.60

Public

University of South Alabama

Alabama

Sun Belt Conference

1465/977/22

BelowAverage

2.80

11479

4326

43700

26984

6.83

Private

Samford University

Alabama

Southern Conference

1680/1120/25

AboveAverage

2.95

3051

1882

42500

42270

7.00

Private

Judson College

Alabama

No Conference Affiliation

1715/1143/26

AboveAverage

2.95

378

31900

29742

7.00

Public

Troy University

Alabama

Sun Belt Conference

1400/933/21

BelowAverage

2.80

15114

3927

38900

25280

7.60

Public

Jacksonville State University

Alabama

Ohio Valley Conference

1445/963/22

BelowAverage

2.80

7647

1012

40400

27029

University Benchmarks

Ranking the Top 100 Academic Universities

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2016 Top 10 Alabama University Academic Rankings

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