The University of Alabama (UA) vs University of Nevada-Reno (UNR)

Nestled in the heart of the Southeastern Conference, The University of Alabama (UA) stands tall in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, while the University of Nevada-Reno (UNR) thrives in the Biggest Little City in the World, Reno, Nevada. These two public research universities, separated by distance and culture, offer distinct experiences to their student bodies. UA boasts a lower acceptance rate and a larger student population, while UNR offers a more diverse student body and a higher graduation rate. With UA excelling in business, engineering, and nursing, and UNR shining in engineering, nursing, and health professions, both universities provide a wide range of academic opportunities. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover more about these institutions and determine which one aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
The University of Alabama logo

The University of Alabama

University of Nevada-Reno logo

University of Nevada-Reno

Overview

Location Tuscaloosa, Alabama Reno, Nevada
Campus setting City: Small City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 89.0% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 78.9% 88.2%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $40

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $60

Graduate: $60
SAT range 1070 - 1370 1060 - 1270
ACT range 21 - 31 20 - 26
Students submitting SAT score 17.0% 12.0%
Students submitting ACT score 63.0% 60.0%
Total number of applicants 42,421 9,421
Total number of admissions given out 33,472 8,306
Admitted students who chose to enroll 7,593 3,412
Yield rate 22.7% 41.1%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $31,024

Out of state: $50,494
In state: $26,796

Out of state: $42,888
Average net price $21,263 $16,398
Tuition
In state: $10,780

Out of state: $30,250
In state: $7,470

Out of state: $23,562
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $5,900

Meal plan: $4,234
Room/dormitory: $5,850

Meal plan: $5,792
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

76.0%
Average amount $16,363
86.0%
Average amount $7,232
Students receiving federal student loan 37.0%
Average amount $5,221
29.0%
Average amount $5,001
Students taking out private loans 9.0%
Average amount $23,617
4.0%
Average amount $12,013

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 31,685
Men 43.5% Women 56.5%
17,025
Men 47.1% Women 52.9%
Graduate students 6,631
Men 36.9% Women 63.1%
4,009
Men 39.3% Women 60.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students 62.2% 26.1%
International students 3.0% 2.8%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Large
Dormitory capacity 9,385 3,524
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Alabama Georgia Illinois Texas Tennessee Nevada California Hawaii Oregon Washington

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Family and Consumer Sciences
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Engineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 19:1 17:1
Institutional accreditation Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.2% 62.7%
Dropout rate 7.7% 34.1%
Transferred out 18.8% N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,741
  • Year 2: $119,061
  • Year 3: $121,674
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $84,175
  • Year 2: $84,653
  • Year 3: $101,082
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $78,913
  • Year 2: $80,004
  • Year 3: $96,574
Legal Research and Advanced Professional Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,715
  • Year 2: $91,744
  • Year 3: $89,742
Management Information Systems and Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $66,858
  • Year 2: $71,015
  • Year 3: $83,044
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,725
  • Year 2: $75,832
  • Year 3: $82,831
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $75,975
  • Year 2: $75,921
  • Year 3: $82,382
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $93,535
  • Year 2: $90,412
  • Year 3: $81,427
Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,760
  • Year 2: $65,281
  • Year 3: $76,647
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,913
  • Year 2: $60,771
  • Year 3: $76,479
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $101,016
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $106,685
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $79,284
  • Year 3: $89,037
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $79,780
  • Year 2: $82,440
  • Year 3: $86,482
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $69,338
  • Year 3: $82,783
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $63,402
  • Year 2: $67,473
  • Year 3: $78,990
Civil Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $60,203
  • Year 2: $66,169
  • Year 3: $77,729
Psychology, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $57,770
  • Year 3: $75,701
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $69,757
  • Year 2: $69,161
  • Year 3: $74,927
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,629
  • Year 2: $67,324
  • Year 3: $73,298
Medicine (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,591
  • Year 2: $57,995
  • Year 3: $71,617

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