United States Air Force Academy

United States Air Force Academy is a public institution that was founded in 1954. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 4,085 (fall 2022), and the campus size is 18,500 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. United States Air Force Academy's ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #7. Its in-state tuition and fees are N; out-of-state tuition and fees are N.

The United States Air Force Academy, commonly called Air Force, is a military service academy located just outside of Colorado Springs, Colo., about 60 miles from Denver. Students at Air Force, called cadets, adhere to a strict daily schedule that does not allow for much free time, though there are a number of extracurricular clubs and activities. Incoming cadets attend a five-week training program intended to prepare them for military life. Cadets are required to participate in athletics — either intercollegiate or intramural — and must pass a fitness test every semester. The Fighting Falcons, Air Force’s athletic teams, compete in NCAA’s Division I and are known for their traditional rivalries with fellow service academies Army and Navy.

Academics at Air Force center on a core curriculum that all cadets must complete. Although the core curriculum comprises the majority of the academic experience, cadets must also choose a specialized field of study from more than 30 possible majors. Military training continues throughout the four years at Air Force, including courses and instruction in aviation and airmanship. Air Force, like the other service academies, is governed by an honor code that states: "We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate among us anyone who does." Distinguished alumni include Gregg Popovich, head coach of the NBA San Antonio Spurs, and Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot made famous for safely landing a commercial flight in the Hudson River near New York City in 2009.