Auburn and Auburn University at Montgomery are the only predominantly white Alabama colleges that enroll fewer Black students than five years ago.

For 11 of the 12 predominantly white, four-year colleges and universities in Alabama, Black student population outcomes split in the last five years: Five schools lost students, while the other six increased Black student enrollment.

The six schools with increases in Black student enrollment since 2019 across undergraduate and graduate programs include:

• Athens State University
• Jacksonville State University
• University of Alabama
• University of Montevallo
• University of North Alabama
• University of South Alabama

In most schools, trends in Black student enrollment followed the same patterns as overall enrollment. Schools that saw a drop in overall enrollment saw a decrease in Black student enrollment and vice versa.

Some key findings:

• Auburn University gained about 3,600 students overall from 2019 to 2024 (about a 12% increase), but Black student enrollment decreased 2% (31 students).

• Auburn University at Montgomery gained 31 students overall in the last five years, or about 10%, but lost 389 Black students, or an 18% decrease from 2019’s Black student enrollment.

• University of Alabama gained about 2,700 students overall (7% increase) and Black student enrollment increased 22% or (885 students).
  
• University of South Alabama lost 394 students overall (2.7% decrease) but Black student enrollment increased 6% or (165 students).

• University of North Alabama gained about 2,500 students (32% increase) and gained 232 Black students (23% increase).

If you can’t see the table, click here for the data.

The University of West Alabama didn’t provide enrollment numbers for fall 2024, so it was excluded from this analysis. Fall 2024 data is based on preliminary reports. Final enrollment data for the fall semester will be released in February 2025.

This analysis was for predominantly white institutions, so historically Black colleges and universities aren’t included. Many of those schools have reported record enrollment in recent years.

The reason why the Black student population at Auburn has dropped may have to do with a more stringent cut off for standardized testing scores.

Auburn made a commitment towards becoming more selective to help their rankings, according to Jim Purcell, executive director at the Alabama Commission for Higher Education.

Auburn’s acceptance rate is the lowest in the state at about 46% for freshmen this year, according to Auburn’s Office of Institutional Research. Black student enrollment at Auburn has traditionally been low at around 5% of the student population.

Because of the University of Alabama’s history with integration, Purcell said UA has made an effort to be accessible to underrepresented groups, especially in terms of scholarship funding.

Nationally, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought drops in overall student enrollment. Enrollment numbers have clawed their way back. Undergraduate enrollment in American colleges grew 1.2% in January, according to Inside Higher Ed.

It remains to be seen how the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to end affirmative action and the 2024 anti-DEI law in Alabama will affect enrollment of Black and other underrepresented groups. Six Alabama universities, including Auburn and Alabama, have dissolved their diversity departments in 2024 after the anti-DEI law was passed.