Samford University

Samford University is a private non-profit institution located in Birmingham, Alabama, enrolling approximately 4,206 students. The university admits a large share of applicants — its acceptance rate of 82.4% means that roughly four out of five who apply are offered admission. First-year students who enroll tend to continue: the retention rate stands at 92.9%. Of students who begin a degree, 77% go on to complete one.

Tuition is $40,150 per year, the same for in-state and out-of-state students. The average annual net price — the total estimated cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, and living expenses, after grant and scholarship aid is applied — is $32,622. This figure represents what students pay on average once aid is factored in, and it can exceed published tuition when room, board, and other expenses are included. About 11.1% of students receive Pell Grants, a federal aid program for lower-income students.

Among all students at Samford — not just those who borrow — 26.9% take out federal student loans. Those who complete a program and borrow federally carry a median loan balance of $19,500 at graduation. Of borrowers in repayment, 77.7% are making progress in reducing their loan balance within three years of entering repayment, a metric that suggests most borrowers are managing their debt.

Ten years after enrolling, the median annual earnings for federally-aided students who attended Samford are $58,469. This figure covers all students who received federal aid and enrolled, including those who did not finish a credential, so it reflects a broad population rather than graduates alone.

Samford offers programs across a range of career-focused fields relevant to today's job market. Areas of study include data science, AI and machine learning, database administration, environmental science, epidemiology, financial analysis, and energy auditing, among others. Adults researching specific career pathways will find a variety of options across technical and analytical disciplines.