The mission of the University of Alabama at Birmingham is to be a research university and academic health center that discovers, teaches, and applies knowledge for the intellectual, cultural, social and economic benefit of Birmingham, the state and beyond. Through the strategic planning process, four institutional goals have been identified related to education, research, innovation, and economic development, community engagement, and patient care. The objective of Goal I is to offer a world-class, socially conscious education to diverse students to prepare the next generation of citizens and leaders.

This mission and its associated strategic goals commit the institution to success for all students, both traditional and online. In the process of measuring student achievement, the institution takes into consideration a variety of information, including retention and graduate rates as well as degree completions.

Undergraduate Retention and Graduation Rates

Two of the most visible and significant indicators of undergraduate student achievement are retention and graduation rates.

Since 2011, UAB has consistently maintained fall-to-spring retention rates exceeding 91% and fall-to-fall retention rates exceeding 78% with the past five years exceeding 81%. Graduation rates have also increased impressively during the same period. The four-year graduation rate has increased by 12 percentage points, the five-year graduation rate has increased by 13 percentage points, and the six-year graduation rate has increased by almost 10 percentage points.

2022 Full-Time Baccalaureate-Seeking Freshmen Retention and Graduation Rates*

*Rates are preliminary until submitted to IPEDS in April.

Degree Completions

UAB closely tracks degree completions at various levels: bachelor's, master's, doctoral (professional practice/other), doctoral (research/scholarship), educational specialist, and certificates. Increases in the total number of degrees awarded demonstrate improvements in student achievement, as reflected in the University goals to support undergraduate and graduate/professional education.

Since 2011-2012, the number of degrees that UAB awards annually has increased by over 2,000 to 6,256 degrees. Specifically, bachelor's and master's completions have increased by over 850 annually. These totals include degrees awarded both to traditional and online students.

UAB Degrees Awarded 2011/2012 through 2020/2021