University of Alabama in Huntsville
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is a public university that consists of six colleges and offers more than 100-degree programs, including a new MBA program that launched in 2025. It also offers 26 certifications.
The school supports more than 170 student-run organizations, 15 fraternities and sororities and 15 NCAA sports teams. It has been recognized as a Military Friendly school with a special award in the gold category. More than 8,500 students are enrolled in the university, representing 49 states and 56 countries.
UAH is the 11th-largest employer in Madison County and has 374 full-time faculty members.
The school is an anchor tenant of Cummings Research Park, and its nearly 500-acre campus is home to 17 high-tech research centers and labs that generate more than $150 million in annual research and development expenditures.
UAH ranks high for its research activity and has consistently earned national rankings for federally funded research expenditures, including eighth in aerospace/aeronautical/astronautical engineering; 10th in computer and information sciences, atmospheric sciences and astronomy; and 25th in industrial and manufacturing engineering.
The university maintains strong partnerships with the many federal agencies and organizations in the Huntsville area.
Construction is well underway on the Raymond B. Jones Engineering Building, a 76,000-square-foot collaborative teaching facility that will provide modernized, research space for the College of Engineering, the university’s largest college. The College of Engineering recently received notice that all seven of its undergraduate programs earned the highest accreditation from the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology.
Working with the city of Huntsville, UAH will be developing a “college town” area on the 58-acre site of the former Executive Plaza. The area will include housing, dining, entertainment, recreation, conference and hotel facilities.
Calhoun Community College
Calhoun Community College is one of the largest of the two-year institutions in the Alabama Community College System and serves almost 9,500 students at its three campuses, one of which is located in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park.
Calhoun’s $802.8 million economic impact is the highest of all Alabama community colleges and represents nearly 1.8% of the total gross regional product of the college’s service area, which includes Madison, Morgan, Limestone and Lawrence counties. The school also employs 915 full- and part-time faculty and staff with a payroll of $46.4 million.
“Calhoun Community College is more than an educational institution; we are an economic engine for North Alabama,” says President Dr. Jimmy Hodges. “We are incredibly proud to contribute to the growth and prosperity of our region. Whether students prefer in-person, online or hybrid learning, Calhoun is here to meet them where they are, offering flexible options for those with demanding schedules.”
Earlier this year, the college announced a new Systems Engineering Technician (SET+) pilot program that offers students a fast-track opportunity to earn an associate of applied science degree in systems engineering technology — a two-year program that includes paid, hands-on industry experience.
Last fall, the college’s Criminal Justice Department, in partnership with the local unit of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, received a $40,000 grant from Alabama’s Mountains, Rivers & Valleys RC&D to support the purchase and deployment of a new safety vessel to serve the Decatur, Morgan, Limestone and Madison counties areas. The boat will promote recreational boating safety and students will receive hands-on training in evidence recovery and search and rescue operations.
Also last fall, the college’s Process Technology Program received a $100,000 donation from GE Aerospace to support workforce development and the purchase of lab equipment and training materials.
Students in the college’s nursing, physical therapist assistant and dental hygiene programs have achieved excellent pass rates on licensing exams.
Calhoun is still recognized as the nation’s top advanced manufacturing degree-awarding institution in the Emsi (Economic Modeling Specialist International) Manufacturing Engineering/Technician degree rankings.
Outside the classroom, the college has expanded its athletics offerings to include women’s and men’s soccer and cheerleading, and a new women’s flag football team will kick off its first season in Fall 2025.
Drake State Community and Technical College
J.F. Drake State Community and Technical College in Huntsville offers nearly 40 certificate and degree programs as well as a variety of workforce development, adult education and other courses designed to meet the needs of the local economy. The school also offers numerous clubs, organizations, volunteer opportunities and campus events. Total enrollment for 2024 was 1,528 students.
According to the school’s FY 2023-24 Economic Impact Report, provided by Lightcast, Drake State generated a total economic impact of $61 million in added income for the college’s service area economy, which consists of Madison and Morgan counties. The school employs 170 full- and part-time faculty and staff.
Following a signing day ceremony in December 2024 that solidified a partnership between Drake State and the newly established Huntsville Tech Federation Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) chapter, the college will offer a new two-year Advanced Manufacturing Technician program starting in June 2025. Students in the program will receive formal classroom training two days a week and work onsite at a sponsoring company three days a week. FAME chapter members include Blue Origin, Bruderer, Mazda Toyota Manufacturing, Plasma Processes, Runergy and Toyota Motor Manufacturing Alabama.
In November 2024, Leidos announced a $1.75 million donation to Drake State to help fund advanced manufacturing and IT programs.
Last fall the college launched a pilot Skills for Success – Flooring Installation Technician course. The program, made available through a partnership among Drake State, the Alabama Community College System Innovation Center, the Floor Covering Education Foundation and the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration, is the first of its kind in the region. It includes an online component and hands-on labs and is offered at no cost.
Alabama A&M University
Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University (AAMU) is a traditional 1890 land-grant institution and the largest historically Black college and university in Alabama. This year, AAMU observes its sesquicentennial anniversary, and a series of events and activities are planned to celebrate the impact the institution has had for the past 150 years.
AAMU serves 7,200 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, and its four colleges offer more than 60 undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs and concentrations. It also enrolls the largest number of minority STEM majors in the state.
AAMU will soon break ground on two new buildings.
Last year, the university’s board of trustees approved construction of a new Science Building. The $82 million facility will nearly triple classroom and lab space for biology, chemistry and physics.
The board also approved construction of a new Student Amenities Building. The $58 million facility will include a food court, theater, students activities and services, bookstore, game rooms and more.
Oakwood University
Situated on a 1,185-acre campus that blends historic landmarks with modern buildings and amenities, Oakwood University in Huntsville is a historically Black university and the only HBCU owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Oakwood University has consistently been ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best regional colleges and universities to attend. The school offers more than 58 majors across five schools as well as graduate degrees in public health, urban ministries, business administration, pastoral studies and social work. A variety of student organizations give students an opportunity to take part in a vibrant campus life, and Oakwood students regularly participate in local tutoring, child development and community improvement initiatives. Oakwood’s athletic department has been admitted into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
The Department of Biological Sciences recently announced that five of its students from the Class of 2025 have been accepted into the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine.
Faulkner University – Huntsville Campus
Faulkner University is a private, Christian liberal arts university based in Montgomery with additional campuses in Birmingham, Mobile and Huntsville. The Huntsville campus offers bachelor’s degrees in business, psychology and criminal justice and associate degrees in liberal arts, computer and information science and legal studies.
This article appears in the May 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
