Enrollment at The University of Alabama is holding 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.
According to UA, 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 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.”
According to UA, 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.
Speaking on “Hey Coach,” the Crimson Tide Sports Network’s weekly call-in show hosted by Chris Stewart in Tuscaloosa, Mohler revealed more of the rationale that contributed to the intentional gain of just 71 students at an globally-dominant university.
“I am concerned that if we get significantly larger, we’re gonna lose a lot of that culture, a lot of that faculty-to-student ratio, the stories,” he said.
“We want to make sure we’re big and big enough to be sustainable and make these big bets, but I want to make sure we don’t lose that culture that is always been a part of our great university, and to make sure everyone knows each other on campus and you can have a great relationship with your faculty and staff.”
“We are asking those questions — do we want to start thinking about slowing down our growth so we don’t lose a lot of that culture?”
New Alabama president Peter Mohler on "Hey Coach" about record 42,360 enrollment: "I am concerned that if we get significantly larger, we're gonna lose a lot of that culture, a lot of that faculty-to-student ratio, the stories. We want to make sure we're big and big enough to be…
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) September 18, 2025
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 2026-27 and record participation in the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference.
According to UA, the University’s latest growth reinforces its role as the state’s flagship university and its commitment to Alabama students who go on to serve the state’s workforce and communities.
Grayson Everett is the editor in chief of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @Grayson270.
