Online Schools & Colleges in Birmingham

The largest city in Alabama is home to about one third of the state's residents. Collegiate sports fans might know Birmingham as the headquarters of the Southeastern Conference, which is one of the powerhouse conferences in NCAA sports.

This leading manufacturing center of the South has evolved to have a very diverse economy, including industries such as banking, telecommunications, medicine and insurance. Health care is also a significant part of the city's business community: In fact, the University of Alabama at Birmingham's University Hospital is among the world's top kidney transplant centers. In terms of manufacturing, German cars take center stage here, as Mercedes Benz chose an area just outside of Birmingham to build its first plant outside Germany. The newly added production of the C-class vehicles will expand the 3,000-employee workforce at the factory.

Students at Birmingham universities might like the fact that the city is home to one of only a handful of 1920s movie palaces — the Alabama Theater. Now, what exactly are the Birmingham and online schools in Alabama education options for those looking to further their education? Please read on.

Birmingham Schools and Degree Programs

The Birmingham area offers degrees in many fields, including medicine, dentistry, law, pharmacy, engineering, nursing and others. Here are just a few of these universities:

• University of Alabama at Birmingham: This public university is one of the three main campuses of the University of Alabama System. It is also the state's largest employer and UAB Health System, one of the largest academic medical centers in the United States, is affiliated with the university. The School of Engineering offers a fast-track master's degree that is open to highly qualified undergraduate students pursuing their bachelor of science degrees in Engineering.

• University of Alabama School of Medicine: Located in downtown Birmingham, UAB, this flagship medical school offers the the UAB neurofibromatosis program, which is internationally recognized for its contributions to the field. The Undiagnosed Diseases Program at UAB was launched in 2013 and aims to unravel medical mysteries that lack any diagnosis.

• Jefferson State Community College: Affectionately known as "Jeff State," this two-year institution with an enrollment of just around 10,000 students offers a variety of solid degree options. A unique degree is one in Fire Science, which is offered online, blended and in-classroom for student's convenience. The program prepares students for leadership positions in the field.

Career and Industry Outlook in Birmingham

Thanks to its diversified economy, Birmingham might be a good place to be for recent college graduates — and competition for jobs might be a bit less fierce here than in say, New York City. In fact, Birmingham made Forbes' list (in 2012) for The Happiest Cities for Job-Seeking College Grads because of its relatively high salary when adjusted to the cost of living (the average salary was $47,491 that year).

Now let's have a look at some professions in Alabama that usually require studies at the university level and their average salaries, as compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

The BLS also tracks earnings data on more granular geographic areas. For Alabama, the BLS provides statistics for Birmingham and neighboring Hoover:

Enjoy your college experience in Birmingham!

Sources:
1. Birmingham Facts, Superlatives, and Other Propaganda: http://birminghamal.org/about/facts-superlatitives/
2. Birmingham School of Law: http://www.bsol.com/
3. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers: http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm
4. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2014 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Alabama, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_al.htm
5. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics, May 2014 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Birmingham, Alabama, http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes_13820.htm
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Lodging Managers, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/lodging-managers.htm
6. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Web Developers, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
7. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Nursing Assistants, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nursing-assistants.htm
8. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Accountants and auditors, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm
9. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Elementary school teachers, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/kindergarten-and-elementary-school-teachers.htm
10. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Lawyers, http://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm
11. Mercedes-Benz U.S. International, Inc., Employment, http://www.mbusi.com/employment
12. Jefferson State Community College, Fire Science, http://www.jeffersonstate.edu/programs/fire-science/
13. University of Alabama at Birmingham, School of Engineering, Degrees and Certificates, http://www.uab.edu/engineering/home/degrees-cert
14. University of Alabama School of Medicine, Department of Genetics, http://www.uab.edu/medicine/genetics/
15. University of Alabama School of Medicine , Undiagnosed Diseases Program, http://www.uab.edu/medicine/genetics/undiagnosed-diseases
16. University of Alabama School of Medicine, Welcome to the UAB School of Medicine, http://www.uab.edu/medicine/home/welcome
17. The Happiest Cities for Job-Seeking College Grads, Forbes.com, Jacquelyn Smith, May 18, 2012, http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2012/05/18/the-happiest-cities-for-job-seeking-college-grads/