With a rise in in-state undergraduates and more graduate students than ever recorded, the University of Alabama's official Fall 2020 enrollment numbers total out to 37,842 students.

This is the second year in a row that UA saw more in-state undergraduate students. Last year, undergraduate enrollment reached 32,798 students in Fall 2019. The Class of 2024 increased by 2% this year, according to a Sept. 11 news release.

In Fall 2019, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) reported that Hispanic/Latino, Asian, and Black/African American students made up 6,332 (16.62%) of the overall student population. This year, OIRA recorded a 3.6% increase in these demographics, making Alabama's BIPOC population about 20% of the total student body.

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This year, 17.7% more graduate students enrolled at UA, shaking out to about 5,700 total scholars in the University's various master's degree programs. The number of distance learners increased by 34%, most likely a symptom of the coronavirus pandemic keeping much of UA's general population at home.

For doctoral programs, Alabama is recognized as one of the best choices for post-graduate work in the United States.

"The University of Alabama, a part of The University of Alabama System, is in the top tier of research institutions in the nation, according to the Carnegie Foundation Classification of Institutions of Higher Education of research activity for institutions that grant doctoral degrees," the news release stated.

The 2020 freshman class is joining the Capstone with quite a few stacked academic resumes. Here is the data:

  • 42.3% of freshmen had a 4.0 GPA in high school
  • 39.9% of freshmen scored a 30 or higher on the American College Testing (ACT) exam
  • 3.83 is the average high school GPA for the Class of 2024
  • 221 National Merit Scholars chose UA to continue their studies

The average ACT score for the University of Alabama is a 27 and the average SAT score is 1184. According to PrepScholar.com, UA is regarded as a fairly competitive institution, with about 60% of applicants being admitted each year.

“The diversity and academic achievements of our student body continue to elevate each year,” UA President Stuart Bell said in the news release. “We thank our students and their families for their commitment to UA, and I can’t say enough about our appreciation to the faculty and staff for the work they do daily to ensure our students have the preparation, expertise and resources to succeed.”

For the Class of 2020, UA awarded over 9,500 degrees, making it the highest-graduating institution in Alabama. The news release stated that the University of Alabama System, which is comprised of the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa), University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville, "educates more Alabamians than any university system worldwide."

For more information on student demographics, enrollment trends and related findings, click here to visit OIRA's Student Data Factbook.

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