TUSCALOOSA – A record-breaking number of in-state first-year students highlights the University of Alabama’s fall 2024 total enrollment of 40,846, surpassing 40,000 for the first time.

In a news release, the university said the record-breaking enrollment includes 3,434 freshmen from Alabama, marking the largest number of in-state freshmen ever. This 7.9% increase in in-state first-year students is UA’s sixth consecutive year with an in-state increase. Second-year retention also reached an all-time high at nearly 90%.

“Students continue to be drawn to the University of Alabama and the world-class opportunities and support afforded here,” said UA President Dr. Stuart R. Bell. “In the end, it’s the Alabama experience, the strength of our faculty, expanding research, and incredible resources and facilities that make students want to enroll at UA to pursue a meaningful degree.”

With students from all 67 Alabama counties, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and 95 countries, UA is educating and graduating more students than any college in the state, awarding more than 9,000 degrees over the past year.

Notable Numbers

• In-state student growth is outpacing the state’s population growth, increasing 4.7% overall and 7.9% among first-time undergraduates.
• First-generation students among all undergraduates increased 9.8%.
• Graduate school enrollment jumped 5.4% with 6,001 students. The number of in-state graduate students increased 8.3%.
• The university has a record enrollment of 10,111 minority students, an 8.2% increase from 2023.
• Students have hailed from all 67 Alabama counties since UA began keeping that record in 1999.
• The fall 2023 class second-year retention rate is a record 89.5%.