Samford University
Birmingham, AL · Private nonprofit · Graduate degree-granting
Located in Birmingham, Alabama, Samford University is a private nonprofit institution, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges. With 4,206 students, it is a small institution. Graduates earn a median of $58,469 ten years after enrollment, which is 43% above the national median of $40,747. On the academic side, the graduation rate is 78.4%. For cost considerations, median graduate debt is $19,500, yielding an earnings-to-debt ratio of 3x. The average net price after financial aid is $32,622 per year. The most popular programs include Law, Pharmacy, Registered Nursing, Marketing, and Business Administration & Management.
Key Outcomes
Median Earnings (10yr)
$58,469
Graduation Rate
78.4%
Median Debt
$19,500
Average Net Price
$32,622
Earnings-to-Cost Ratio
0.45x
Earnings-to-Debt Ratio
3x
Admissions & Enrollment
Total Enrollment
4,206
Admission Rate
82.4%
Average SAT
1201
Retention Rate
92.9%
Cost
In-State Tuition
$40,150
Out-of-State Tuition
$40,150
Pell Grant Rate
11.1%
Federal Loan Rate
26.9%
Net Cost by Family Income
Income $0–$30K
$22,716
Income $30K–$48K
$24,812
Income $48K–$75K
$31,527
Income $110K+
$36,235
Student Demographics
Women
65.9%
White
84.5%
Black
4.8%
Hispanic
5.0%
Asian
1.3%
Two or More Races
2.2%
Student Loan Performance
Repayment Rate (3yr)
77.7%
Accreditations
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics — Dietetics (DIET) - Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Dietetics (DIETI) - Dietetic Internship, Didactic Program in Dietetics (Accredited)
- Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education — Pharmacy (PHAR) - Professional degree programs (Accredited)
- American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar — Law (LAW) - Professional schools (Accredited)
- American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education — Physical Therapy (PT) - Professional programs for the physical therapist (Preaccredited)
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology — Speech-Language Pathology (SLP) - Graduate degree programs, Clinical doctoral program in Audiology (Preaccredited)
- Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools — Theology (THEOL) - Freestanding schools, as well as programs affiliated with larger institutions, offering graduate professional education for ministry and graduate study of theology (Accredited)
- Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education — Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels, Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels, Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels (Accredited)
- Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs — Nurse Anesthesia (ANEST) - Institutions and programs at the master's degree, post master's certificate or doctoral degree levels (Accredited)
- National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation — Music (MUS) (Accredited)
- National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education — Teacher Education (TED) - Baccalaureate and graduate programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools (Accredited)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges — Institutional Accreditation (Accredited)
Programs (89)
Bachelor (42)
| Program | Median Earnings | Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing | $72,517 | 105 |
| Pharmacy | $119,888 | 66 |
| Marketing | $70,839 | 65 |
| Finance | $93,444 | 53 |
| Teacher Education | $52,171 | 41 |
| Health Services | Not reported | 41 |
| Health Services Administration & Management | Not reported | 39 |
| Business Administration & Management | $76,584 | 34 |
| Journalism | $50,652 | 33 |
| Design & Applied Arts | Not reported | 33 |
| Accounting | $90,572 | 30 |
| Human Development & Family Studies | $50,809 | 29 |
| Psychology | Not reported | 25 |
| Drama & Theater Arts | Not reported | 22 |
| Sports & Fitness | $47,117 | 20 |
| Communications | Not reported | 19 |
| English Language & Literature | Not reported | 19 |
| Biology | Not reported | 19 |
| Foods, Nutrition & Wellness | Not reported | 18 |
| Communication Disorders | Not reported | 17 |
| Business Information Systems | Not reported | 14 |
| Computer & Information Sciences | Not reported | 11 |
| Political Science | Not reported | 11 |
| History | Not reported | 11 |
| Romance Languages | Not reported | 10 |
| Non-Professional Legal Studies | Not reported | 9 |
| Mathematics | Not reported | 9 |
| Entrepreneurship | Not reported | 8 |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | Not reported | 7 |
| Health Services Administration | Not reported | 7 |
| Public Health | Not reported | 7 |
| Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Not reported | 6 |
| Religion | Not reported | 6 |
| International Relations | Not reported | 6 |
| Music | Not reported | 6 |
| Geography | Not reported | 5 |
| Sociology | Not reported | 5 |
| Public Administration | Not reported | 4 |
| Natural Resources Conservation | Not reported | 3 |
| Engineering Physics | Not reported | 3 |
| Pastoral Counseling and Specialized Ministries | Not reported | 3 |
| Fine Arts | Not reported | 3 |
Master (17)
| Program | Median Earnings | Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Business Administration & Management | $119,341 | 63 |
| Registered Nursing | $127,084 | 47 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | $50,016 | 36 |
| Allied Health Diagnostic & Treatment | Not reported | 35 |
| Public Health | $92,506 | 30 |
| Accounting | $92,202 | 24 |
| Social Work | $55,271 | 23 |
| Communication Disorders | $57,010 | 20 |
| Legal Studies | $122,699 | 19 |
| Teacher Education | $54,714 | 14 |
| Foods, Nutrition & Wellness | Not reported | 11 |
| Medical Illustration | Not reported | 6 |
| Music | Not reported | 5 |
| Educational Administration | $63,341 | 4 |
| Secondary Education | Not reported | 4 |
| Health Services Administration | Not reported | 4 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | $85,180 | Not reported |
Doctoral (4)
| Program | Median Earnings | Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Administration | $105,374 | 16 |
| Law | $91,687 | Not reported |
| Pharmacy | $132,942 | Not reported |
| Registered Nursing | $101,915 | Not reported |
First Professional (6)
| Program | Median Earnings | Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Law | Not reported | 138 |
| Pharmacy | Not reported | 117 |
| Registered Nursing | Not reported | 103 |
| Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions | Not reported | 37 |
| Public Health | Not reported | 12 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Not reported | 3 |
Graduate Certificate (2)
| Program | Median Earnings | Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Dietetics & Clinical Nutrition | Not reported | 15 |
| Theological and Ministerial Studies | Not reported | 5 |
Show 18 additional programs with limited data
| Program | Level | Completers |
|---|---|---|
| Special Education | Master | 2 |
| Secondary Education | Bachelor | 2 |
| Interdisciplinary Studies | Bachelor | 2 |
| Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis | Bachelor | 2 |
| Philosophy | Bachelor | 2 |
| Missions/Missionary Studies and Missiology | Graduate Certificate | 2 |
| Chemistry | Bachelor | 2 |
| Economics | Bachelor | 2 |
| Registered Nursing | Graduate Certificate | 2 |
| Natural Resources Conservation | Master | 1 |
| Educational Administration | Graduate Certificate | 1 |
| Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics | Bachelor | 1 |
| Liberal Arts & Sciences | Bachelor | 1 |
| Ecology | Bachelor | 1 |
| Neuroscience | Bachelor | 1 |
| Bible/Biblical Studies | Bachelor | 1 |
| Religious Music and Worship | Master | 1 |
| Geography | Undergraduate Certificate | 1 |
Rankings Featuring This Institution
- Highest Earning Bachelor's Nursing & Health Programs
- Highest Earning Master's Law Programs
- Highest Earning Bachelor's Nursing & Health Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Master's Nursing & Health Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Bachelor's Business Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Master's Business Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Bachelor's Education Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Master's Education Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Bachelor's Communications Programs in Alabama
- Highest Earning Bachelor's Family & Consumer Sciences Programs in Alabama