United States Air Force Academy
United States Air Force Academy at a Glance
Reviewed by James A. Barham, PhD, Vice President and Academic Editor. Influence ranks come from our InfluenceRanking™ methodology; other figures come from federal data, with the year shown under each section. Report an error
United States Air Force Academy Featured Rankings
- #1 Best Liberal Arts Colleges in Colorado 2026
- #2 Most Influential US Universities by State
- #3 Best Public Colleges in Colorado
- #3 Most Affordable Colleges in Colorado
- #4 Best Colleges in Colorado
- #6 Administrative Bloat: Schools with the Most & Least Efficient Administrations
- #10 Engineering Liberal Arts Colleges
- #15 History Liberal Arts Colleges
- #17 Physics Liberal Arts Colleges
- #17 Math Liberal Arts Colleges
- #18 Computer Science Liberal Arts Colleges
- #18 Economics Liberal Arts Colleges
- #18 Chemistry Liberal Arts Colleges
- #18 Liberal Arts Colleges for Biology Degrees
- #19 Political Science Liberal Arts Colleges
- #20 Best Liberal Arts Colleges for Psychology Majors
- #31 Best Liberal Arts Colleges 2026
- #45 Best Public Colleges
About United States Air Force Academy
According to Wikipedia, The United States Air Force Academy is a United States service academy in El Paso County, Colorado, immediately north of Colorado Springs. It educates cadets for service in the officer corps of the United States Air Force and United States Space Force. It is the youngest of the five service academies, having graduated its first class in 1959, but is the third in seniority. Graduates of the academy's four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the U.S. Air Force or U.S. Space Force. The academy is also one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado, attracting approximately a million visitors each year.
United States Air Force Academy Admissions, Retention, and Graduation Information
| Annual Applications | Acceptance | Retention Rate | Graduation Rate | Median SAT Score | Median ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9,543 | 14% | 97% | 84% | 1335 | 29 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); acceptance rate for fall 2024; test scores for fall 2024; applications and enrollment for fall 2023; retention for students who started in fall 2023; graduation rate within six years for students who started in 2019.
How Much Does United States Air Force Academy Cost To Attend?
Source: U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and NCES); tuition and fees for 2025–26; net price for 2024–25, for first-time, full-time students receiving financial aid.
United States Air Force Academy's Demographics
Students enrolled at any time during the 2023–24 school year, including part-time and online students.
| Student Body | Under-Grads |
|---|---|
| 5,117 | 5,117 |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics; 12-month enrollment for 2023–24.
Where is United States Air Force Academy?
United States Air Force Academy is located at 2304 Cadet Drive, Suite 3800, USAF Academy, CO 80840-5002.
What Is United States Air Force Academy Known For?
United States Air Force Academy is known for its academic work in the following disciplines:
- Computer Science
- Engineering
- Criminal Justice
- Political Science
- History
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Law
- Economics
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- Biology
- Philosophy
- Literature
- Sociology
United States Air Force Academy's Top Areas of Influence With Degrees Offered
Each rank compares how much United States Air Force Academy's faculty and alumni have shaped a field with other schools, using Wikipedia, Wikidata and scholarly citation databases such as Crossref and Semantic Scholar. World and U.S. ranks reflect modern influence; the historical rank counts influence across all time. How we rank influence
United States Air Force Academy ranks #82 in the U.S. and #273 worldwide for influence in Computer Science.
computer-science DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #85 in the U.S. and #324 worldwide for influence in Engineering.
engineering DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #94 in the U.S. and #133 worldwide for influence in Criminal Justice.
criminal-justice DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #135 in the U.S. and #525 worldwide for influence in Political Science.
political-science DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #146 in the U.S. and #402 worldwide for influence in History.
history DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #173 in the U.S. and #722 worldwide for influence in Physics.
physics DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #192 in the U.S. and #783 worldwide for influence in Mathematics.
math DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #229 in the U.S. and #729 worldwide for influence in Law.
United States Air Force Academy ranks #245 in the U.S. and #1234 worldwide for influence in Economics.
economics DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #258 in the U.S. and #1240 worldwide for influence in Chemistry.
chemistry DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #303 in the U.S. and #752 worldwide for influence in Psychology.
psychology DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #313 in the U.S. and #1270 worldwide for influence in Biology.
biology DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #322 in the U.S. and #1060 worldwide for influence in Philosophy.
philosophy DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #379 in the U.S. and #1142 worldwide for influence in Literature.
literature DegreesUnited States Air Force Academy ranks #545 in the U.S. and #1878 worldwide for influence in Sociology.
sociology DegreesWho Are United States Air Force Academy's Most Influential Alumni?
United States Air Force Academy's most influential alumni include professors and professionals in the fields of Criminal Justice, Computer Science, and Business. Here are some of United States Air Force Academy's most famous alumni:
- Grady Booch
- An American software engineer.
- Eric Hanushek
- An Economist and educator.
- Gregg Popovich
- An American basketball coach .
- Mark Welsh
- A United States general.
- Sully Sullenberger
- An American commercial airline pilot.
- James B. Smith
- An American diplomat.
- Ronald M. Sega
- An American astronaut.
- Tim Kane
- An American economist .
- Jack D. Fischer
- An American astronaut.
- John J. Garstka
- A Member of the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
- Stephen Joseph Rossetti
- A Priest and psychologist.
- Kim Campbell
- A US Air Force officer.
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