Samford University
Samford University is a private Christian university in the Birmingham suburb of Homewood, Alabama, known for its strong health-professions pipeline — nursing, the McWhorter School of Pharmacy, and allied health — alongside business and a deeply Greek campus culture. Admission is accessible relative to most national private universities: Samford admitted about 82% of roughly 4,600 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years carried an average high school GPA near 3.88 with middle-50% SAT scores of 1080–1240. Health professions make up about a third of bachelor's degrees, and Greek life is a defining feature, with 41% of men in fraternities and 60% of women in sororities. Samford is test-optional and enrolls about 4,200 undergraduates.
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Samford admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early action
Samford offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized tests
Samford is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Samford supplemental essays
Samford requires no supplemental essay for the 2026-2027 cycle — your Common App personal statement is the only essay they read.
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Class rank
Where Samford's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 24% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Samford does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Samford weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Samford's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Samford admissions
No, Samford is relatively accessible: it admitted about 82.4% of roughly 4,600 applicants in the most recent cycle, or about 3,755 offers. Admission is still holistic, and enrolled first-years are strong students, averaging about a 3.88 high school GPA, so a solid academic record matters more than clearing a competitive bar.
Enrolled first-years at Samford average about a 3.88 high school GPA, with 42% reporting a 4.0. Academic GPA is weighed as a very important admission factor and there is no published minimum, but the strongest applicants carry mostly A grades in a rigorous course load.
No, Samford is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting scores. Among enrolled first-years who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1080–1240 on the SAT and 22–28 on the ACT; about 66% of the class submitted an ACT and 25% an SAT, and scores are weighed as an important factor when sent.
Yes, a 1200 is competitive at Samford and sits in the upper half of enrolled first-years, whose middle 50% scored 1080–1240 with a median near 1150. Because Samford is test-optional, a score in or above that band strengthens an application but is not required, and grades carry more weight in review.
Yes, Samford is a private Christian university with Baptist roots, and faith is woven into campus life. Religious affiliation is not used as an admission factor, so students of any background can apply, and the university enrolls about 4,200 undergraduates.
Tuition and required fees run about $41,910 per year, with food and housing adding roughly $14,260 on top. About 46% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, the average need-based package is around $27,660, and Samford meets about 78% of demonstrated need on average.
Health professions are by far the most popular area at about 33% of bachelor's degrees, reflecting Samford's strength in nursing and pharmacy, followed by business and marketing at roughly 21%. Communication, the visual and performing arts, education, and psychology round out the most-conferred fields.
Yes, Samford rates the application essay as a very important factor in its holistic review, alongside academic GPA and recommendations. With test scores only weighed as important and a test-optional policy in place, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways to strengthen an application.
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Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: Samford University Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-22. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Samford. Banner photo by Brian R. Mooney (Sweetmoose6), via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Samford University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2024-2025 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/samford (retrieved 2026-06-22).