Auburn University

Auburn University is a public university founded in 1856. The total undergraduate enrollment is 26,874 (Fall 2023) on a 1,875-acre campus. The university operates on a semester-based academic calendar. Auburn University is ranked 105th among national universities in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $12,890 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $34,922.

Auburn, Alabama is rated as one of the best places to live, and student life at Auburn University is just as enjoyable. Fall soccer games are especially appealing, as fans support the Auburn Tigers with the help of the school's mascot, Obi the Tiger. The Tiger athletic teams compete in the NCAA Division I Southeastern Conference, and the large influx of fans on game days makes Auburn the fifth largest city in the state. Fans hold pep rallies at Toomer's Corner downtown, and the area is covered in toilet paper by fans after each big win. There are more than 500 student organizations on campus, and about 6,000 students participate in the university's Greek system. Auburn freshmen are eased into college through Camp War Eagle-a two-day overnight summer orientation program. The annual Hey Day program assists freshmen by allowing them to wear name tags and say hello to each other. Freshmen don't have to live on campus; in fact, the university doesn't even guarantee a dormitory. Due to limited space, first-year students are assigned on-campus housing on a first-come, first-served basis.

As a Sea Grant institution, Auburn University receives federal funding for research projects that benefit the community at large. The school has an urban studio, where students can work on community projects, and a rural studio designed to find housing solutions for residents of western Alabama. Research projects include a nuclear waste storage facility. The school also offers unique programs, such as the nation's first wireless engineering program. Notable Auburn alumni include Apple CEO Tim Cook, Oscar and Golden Globe winner Octavia Spencer, and Olympic swimming gold medalist Rowdy Gaines.