Samford University: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Montgomery, Alabama · Public · Open access · CDS 2024-2025
Samford University is a public university in Montgomery, Alabama that admits about 93% of applicants, making it a open access school. The average family pays about $14,596 a year after financial aid, which matters more than the published sticker price. It is best known for Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Psychology, General and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General, its largest undergraduate programs by number of graduates. About 33% of students graduate within six years. Its most recent Clery Act report shows roughly 2.0 criminal offenses per 1,000 students.
Samford University is a public institution located in Montgomery, Alabama. For the most recent reporting cycle, Samford University admits the majority of qualified applicants, with an overall admission rate of 93%. Admitted students typically post an average SAT of 1090 and an ACT composite around 21. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,596 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether Samford University is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What GPA does my child need for Samford University?
Samford University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
What does Samford University weight in admissions?
Samford University reports the following factor importance in its Common Data Set (2024-2025). These are the criteria the admissions committee weighs when reviewing applications.
- • Rigor of secondary school record
- • Academic GPA
- • Standardized test scores
- • Class rank
- • Application essay
- • Recommendations
- • Interview
- • Extracurricular activities
- • Talent/ability
- • Character/personal qualities
- • First generation status
- • Alumni/ae relation
- • Geographical residence
- • State residency
- • Religious affiliation/commitment
- • Volunteer work
- • Work experience
- • Level of applicant's interest
SAT and ACT scores Samford University typically admits
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 500–615, with an EBRW midpoint near 538. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 18–24. Many applicants here submit scores; even slightly below the average can be competitive when combined with a strong GPA and curriculum.
| 25th percentile | 1028 |
| 50th percentile | 1130 |
| 75th percentile | 1195 |
| % submitting SAT | 4% |
| 25th percentile | 18 |
| 50th percentile | 21 |
| 75th percentile | 24 |
| % submitting ACT | 53% |
- • Test-optional: Standardized test scores are not required, but may be submitted and considered.
- • Policy detail: Considered if submitted
Where admitted students ranked in their high school class
Class rank distribution gives parents a clear sense of how academically dominant a typical admitted student was within their own high school cohort — often a more meaningful signal than absolute GPA.
| Top 10% of class | 10% |
| Top 25% of class | 41% |
| Top 50% of class | 80% |
| % submitting class rank | 39% |
How much does Samford University actually cost?
Published tuition is $9,436 for in-state students and $20,092 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $7,368 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,596 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 43% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
| In-state tuition | $11,370 |
| Out-of-state tuition | $25,500 |
| Room and board | $13,167 |
| Average net price (after aid) | $14,596 |
| Application fee | $0 |
Application deadlines and early decision data for Samford University
| Notification date | April 15 (rolling) |
| Rolling admissions | Yes |
Will my child graduate from Samford University?
Retention and graduation rates are the most overlooked numbers in college planning, but they predict actual outcomes far better than acceptance rate. They tell you whether admitted students stay and finish on time.
Most popular majors at Samford University
The most popular undergraduate programs at Samford University, measured by the number of students who actually graduate each year, are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Psychology, General and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. Across all programs, Samford University confers roughly 412 bachelor's degrees a year. Graduates of its Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing program report a median income of about $78,443 five years after entering college. Major popularity is a practical signal of where a school concentrates its teaching strength and where your child will find the deepest course offerings and peer community.
| Major | Graduates / year | Median earnings (5 yrs out) |
|---|---|---|
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 124 | $78,443 |
| Psychology, General | 47 | $42,987 |
| Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General | 45 | — |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness | 44 | $53,798 |
| Biology, General | 43 | $48,519 |
| Criminal Justice and Corrections | 41 | $56,765 |
| Computer Science | 34 | — |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods | 34 | $46,873 |
Is Samford University safe? Campus crime & safety
In its most recent Clery Act report (2024), Samford University disclosed 5 total criminal offenses across its campus and surrounding public property, about 2.0 per 1,000 students. That figure includes 1 violent offenses and 2 reported sexual assaults or VAWA offenses. Per-1,000-student rates matter more than raw counts when comparing schools, because larger universities mechanically report more incidents. Under the federal Clery Act, every college that receives federal aid must publish these numbers annually.
What is campus life like at Samford University?
About 20% of undergraduates at Samford University live in campus housing, so a meaningful share of students commute or live off campus. Residential rate and Greek participation shape day-to-day social life and are worth weighing alongside academics and cost.
Other colleges in Alabama parents ask about
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like Samford University
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like Samford University recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about Samford University
What GPA do I need for Samford University?
Samford University has a broadly accessible admissions profile, and most students who complete a standard college-prep curriculum with a 3.0 GPA or higher are competitive for admission.
What SAT or ACT score does Samford University typically admit?
The middle-50 SAT Math range is 500–615, with an EBRW midpoint near 538. The middle-50 ACT composite range is 18–24.
How much does Samford University actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at Samford University after grants and scholarships is $14,596 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is Samford University realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, Samford University is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.
What is the acceptance rate at Samford University?
Samford University accepts about 93% of applicants out of roughly 2,512 who apply each year. It admits the majority of qualified applicants.
Is Samford University test-optional?
Yes. Samford University is test-optional, so SAT and ACT scores are not required, but strong scores can still be submitted and will be considered.
What is the graduation rate at Samford University?
About 33% of students at Samford University graduate within six years, and 22% finish in four years. 68% of freshmen return for sophomore year. Graduation rate predicts real outcomes better than acceptance rate.
What does Samford University look for in applicants?
Samford University rates course rigor, GPA and test scores as "very important" in its Common Data Set. These are the factors the admissions committee weighs most heavily when reviewing an application.
Is Samford University a public or private school, and where is it located?
Samford University is a public institution located in Montgomery, Alabama.
What are the most popular majors at Samford University?
The largest undergraduate majors at Samford University by annual graduates are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing, Psychology, General and Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General. The school awards about 412 bachelor's degrees a year in total. These figures come from federal IPEDS completion data.
Is Samford University safe? What is its campus crime rate?
Samford University reported 5 total criminal offenses in its most recent Clery Act disclosure (2024), roughly 2.0 per 1,000 students. Compare the per-1,000 rate rather than the raw total, since larger schools report more incidents.
What is campus life like at Samford University?
At Samford University, 20% of undergraduates live on campus, according to its most recent Common Data Set.
Data sourced from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set submitted by Samford University, the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS, and Clery Act campus safety disclosures. Solyo extracts admissions data from official Common Data Set publications and refreshes it annually.