Samford University
Birmingham, AL
82.4%
Acceptance Rate
$40,150
Avg Cost (In-State)
$40,150
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
78.4%
Graduation Rate
4,206
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to journalism collegesBy the numbers
Samford University, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
Popular programs
Application requirements
Generating requirements — this can take a few seconds for less- commonly-searched schools.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$49,466
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$58,469
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
78%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing. | $64,226 | $72,517 | 109 |
| Journalism. | $30,311 | $50,652 | 38 |
| Marketing. | $47,565 | $70,839 | 33 |
| Finance and Financial Management Services. | $53,059 | $93,444 | 25 |
| Design and Applied Arts. | $41,323 | — | 22 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods. | $44,644 | $52,171 | 19 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $39,690 | — | 17 |
| Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration. | — | $119,888 | — |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Samford University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Samford University
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
University of Alabama Foundation Scholarship
$96,000 over 4 years (full tuition)
university28-29 ACT or 1310-1350 SAT with 3.50+ GPA. Automatic.
Deadline: December 15
Learn more ↗Auburn Spirit of Auburn Scholarship
$5,000-$28,000/year (tiered)
universityAutomatic grid by ACT/SAT + GPA combinations; starts at 26 ACT + 3.5 GPA.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗University of Alabama Honors College Scholarship
Tuition + research stipend
universityAdmission to UA Honors College; stackable with merit awards above. Top-tier applicants.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Alabama Capstone Engineering Society Scholarship
$1,000-$5,000/year
universityUA engineering students with academic merit + service.
Deadline: February 15
Learn more ↗Alabama Million Dollar Band Scholarship
$500-$3,000/year
universityUA marching band participants; auditioned awards.
Deadline: Through band admission
Learn more ↗Auburn Honors College Scholarship Stack
$1,500-$8,000/year on top of Presidential/Spirit
universityAuburn Honors College admits; additional named awards stack on top of base merit.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Auburn War Eagle Scholarship
$3,000-$8,000/year (OOS)
universityAuburn OOS freshmen via tiered automatic merit (below Spirit of Auburn).
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Alabama Hollings Scholars in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
$9,500/year + summer NOAA internship
universityUA freshmen pursuing NOAA-relevant studies in marine, atmospheric, or environmental sciences.
Deadline: January 31
Learn more ↗Auburn University Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition + $5,000 stipend
universityTop Auburn incoming freshmen via competitive process; merit-based.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $22,716 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $24,812 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $31,527 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $34,206 |
| $110,001+ | $36,235 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Samford University →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 82.4% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
82.36%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
14.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
14.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
26.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
14.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
30.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
87.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
77.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Important
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