For those interested in studying in Alaska, we have a very useful list. We selected the best Alaska institutions for prospective students. Please know that rankings are based on academic research, alumni reviews, graduation rates, as well as assessment from peer colleges. On the page, you will find major admissions stats such as acceptance rate, tuition fees, average SAT scores for each ranked college or university.
| Rankings | Schools |
| 1 | University of Alaska Fairbanks (Fairbanks, AK) Tuition: in-state: $6,443, out-of-state: $18,893 Total enrollment: 9,818 Fall 2011 acceptance rate: 79.2% Average freshman retention rate: 76% 6-year graduation rate: 31% Classes with under 20 students: 64.8% SAT/ACT 25th-75th percentile: 19-25 |
Economy of Alaska
Alaska ‘s economy is based on mining.
Alaska ranks second in the United States (after Nevada) in terms of gold production. The state provides about 8% of silver mining in the United States of America. The Red Dog Mine in northern Alaska is the largest zinc mine in the world and provides about 10% of the world’s production of this metal, as well as significant amounts of silver and lead.
Alaska ranks second in the US in the production of “black gold”, 20% of American oil is produced here. Huge reserves of oil and gas have been explored in the north of the state. The Prudhoe Bay field is the largest in the United States (8% of US oil production). Oil is transported to the port of Valdez on the south coast of Alaska via the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline built in the 1970s. The oil pipeline with a length of almost 1,300 kilometers was built from pipes with a diameter of 122 cm. Its throughput is about 340,000 m 3 per day.
In the northwest, a vast territory is occupied by the National Oil Reserve – lands on which oil fields have been explored, but production is not being carried out.
There are a number of US military installations in Alaska, the largest of which is Elmendorf Air Force Base near Anchorage.
Elmendorf is home to the Alaska Command of the US Armed Forces, the Command of the Alaska NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense), the US 11th Air Force and many other units. Near Elmendorf Base, at Fort Richardson, there is an airborne brigade.
Maintaining these and many other military installations in Alaska is an important part of the state’s economy, and the US federal government is one of the largest employers in the state.
The harsh nature of Alaska is not conducive to the development of agriculture, so most of the food in Alaska is imported and they are very expensive, especially away from cities.
However, in the south of the state, on the Kenai Peninsula and in the Matanaska Valley, near the largest city of Alaska, Anchorage, there are a number of farms. They grow vegetables (potatoes, carrots, cabbage and others) and raise cattle.
On the Seward Peninsula, in the western part of the state, reindeer husbandry is well developed.
Commercial fishing is very developed in the coastal waters of Alaska. A lot of salmon, cod, pollock and crabs are exported from the state. Seafood is one of the few foods that is cheaper in Alaska than in any other US state.
In recent decades, tourism has been actively developing in Alaska.