Non-Profit Private
Accredited · Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Birmingham, Alabama
82.2% Acceptance Rate
Samford University — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
82.2%Acceptance Rate
3.84Avg GPA
1203Avg SAT
26Avg ACT
$53,934Annual Cost
$58,469Grad Salary
10.8%Pell Grant
Acceptance Rate
82.2%
Avg GPA
3.84
Avg SAT
1203
Avg ACT
26
Selectivity
Inclusive
Institution Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
SAT Middle 50%
1070–1260
ACT Middle 50%
23–29
Need-Based Aid
10.8% receive Pell
Samford University is a private, Christian institution in Alabama known for its commitment to academic excellence, community service, and the development of the whole person. Offering a wide range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs in a supportive and values-based environment, the university fosters intellectual, professional, and personal growth. Its focus on academic rigor and a strong sense of community makes it a premier choice for students seeking a formative education.
Samford University Acceptance Rate
Samford University runs an open-access admission policy. With a 82.2% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in. They are worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Inclusive
Selectivity scale: Inclusive — 82.2% acceptance rate
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Recommended Academic Profile
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.84 – 4.00
Target Match
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.64 – 3.83
Competitive Reach
Focus on Score Compensation
Below 3.39
Secondary Reach
Requires Contextual Support
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Samford University Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
The application deadline for Samford University is November 1 for Early Action applicants, with additional plans listed below.
Key Admission Dates
⏳ 84 days left — Early Action
Early Action
November 1
Regular/Final Deadline
May 1
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Samford University GPA Requirement
The average GPA of admitted students at Samford University is 3.84. That makes admissions here extremely selective. Most admitted students carry straight A's, with very little room for a B.
If your GPA sits between 3.54 and 3.84, a high SAT or ACT score is the most reliable way to compensate.
Most schools report GPA on a weighted or unweighted 4.0 scale differently. For an unweighted profile like this, students with AP/IB coursework typically carry a weighted GPA of 4.04–4.24.Samford University GPA & Admission Outlook
Assessment: Highly selective; GPA is within the typical admitted range.
Recommended Strategy: Standardized Test Scores (SAT/ACT) in the top 5th percentile.
Where your GPA falls in this range shapes what the rest of your application needs to do:
Candidate GPA Range
Admission Category
Strategic Requirement
3.84 – 4.00
Competitive Reach
Maintain Rigor & High Testing
3.64 – 3.83
Competitive Match
Focus on SAT/ACT Compensation
3.44 – 3.63
Secondary Reach
Personal Statement & Impact
Below 3.43
Institutional Reach
Requires Significant Contextual Factors
Evaluation Metrics That Matter Here
- Samford's freshman applicants can choose test-optional evaluation for both the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles, but once a testing choice is selected, changing it requires a formal appeal submitted before the admission decision is released.
- McWhorter School of Pharmacy's Early Assurance Program guarantees a PharmD seat to qualifying high schoolers who maintain progression standards through two years of prepharmacy coursework - a genuinely rare guaranteed-admission structure for a pharmacy program.
- The Doctor of Pharmacy program uses five alternate, independently sufficient GPA/experience pathways to earn an interview invitation, rather than a single fixed cutoff - applicants should check all five before assuming ineligibility.
- Samford's key freshman dates: application opens Aug. 1; Early Action closes Nov. 1; first scholarship deadline Dec. 1; regular application deadline referenced as May 1 by some sources, though the university's own page emphasizes rolling admission notification beginning early November.
- Rigor Over Raw Number: A slightly lower GPA (say 3.8) paired with multiple AP or IB courses often outweighs a flat 4.0 from a standard curriculum.
- Trajectory Matters: A lower start in 9th or 10th grade, followed by a clear upward trend senior year, reads as academic resilience rather than a weakness.
Data verified via IPEDS, College Scorecard (Nov 2025) and the Common Data Set (CDS). Expert Review led by Sohaib Khan and Dr. Waseem.
Check Your Admission Chances at Samford University
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Samford University's verified institutional data
--%
Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
✅ Verified Data: Institutional records for 2026.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Samford University Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Samford University is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Samford University Without SAT or ACT?
Samford University considers scores when submitted, without requiring them. Prepare well and submit your best attempt. Most applicants test 2–3 times.
Samford University Average SAT Score: 1203
The average SAT score of admitted students at Samford University is 1203 on the 1600-point scale.
SAT Competitiveness
SAT 1203 — Slightly Competitive
This sits close to the national average SAT score.
Key Insight: Aim for the 75th percentile (1260 SAT or 29 ACT) to stand out. Below average? Samford University allows Score Choice for the SAT, so a retake only helps — a low sitting never has to be sent.
If your score is below 1070, retaking the SAT is strongly recommended to improve your chances at Samford University. Retaking multiple times is completely normal. Most competitive applicants sit for it two or three times. There's no official limit on attempts.
SAT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT Math | 565 | 520 | 610 |
| SAT Reading | 600 | 550 | 650 |
| SAT Composite | 1203 | 1070 | 1260 |
Below 1070, you're behind most admitted students; at 1260 or above, you're ahead of 75% of them. (25th/75th percentile = the score below which that share of admitted students fall.)
View list of all colleges with average SAT score of 1200
Can I get into Samford University with a 1250 SAT?
A 1250 SAT puts you ahead of most of Samford University's admitted class, but admissions still weighs GPA, course rigor, and essays alongside it. A strong score opens the door; the rest of your profile decides what happens next.
Samford University ACT Requirements
The average ACT score at Samford University is 26.
ACT Competitiveness
ACT 26 — Competitive
This average is solidly above the national mean without being elite-tier.
ACT Scores Breakdown by Sections
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACT Math | 24 | 20 | 27 |
| ACT English | 26 | 22 | 30 |
| ACT Composite | 26 | 23 | 29 |
Can I get into Samford University with a 29 ACT?
A 29 ACT puts you ahead of 75% of Samford University's admitted students. That's a strong position, though the ACT is only one benchmark among several that admissions weighs.
Unlike the SAT, the ACT scores four separate sections: English, Math, Reading, and Science, each on a 1–36 scale. A noticeably weak section, especially Science at STEM-focused schools, stands out to reviewers, so it's worth checking your section breakdown for outliers before applying.
Your ACT score clears the first filter, but GPA, course rigor, extracurricular depth, recommendations, and essays are what carry an application the rest of the way at Samford University.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Samford University
Accessible Strategy: Academic Foundation
Getting into Samford University isn't the hard part. Building a solid academic foundation and securing aid early is where the real strategy lives.
If pharmacy is your goal, decide between the Early Assurance Program and the traditional 2+4 pathway before you even submit your Samford application - the entry criteria and timeline diverge sharply
Samford's Early Assurance Program (EAP) lets a high school senior interview for guaranteed PharmD admission before starting freshman year, but requires a 3.5 overall high school GPA and a 3.4 GPA specifically across seven "Prepharmacy Prep Courses" (Biology, Chemistry, Algebra 1/2, Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus), with at least 5 of 7 completed at time of application - a materially higher bar than the traditional PharmCAS-based pathway later in sophomore year. If your GPA profile fits EAP, apply and interview as a senior; if not, the standard prepharmacy-to-PharmCAS route remains fully open with more flexible entry criteria.
For the traditional PharmD interview invitation, know the five alternate qualifying paths - a lower overall GPA can still get you an interview through a different door
McWhorter School of Pharmacy invites interviews if an applicant meets any ONE of five criteria (not all): overall GPA ?2.75; OR gen-ed GPA ?3.0 with math/science GPA ?2.75; OR most-recent-30-credit-hours GPA ?3.20 (with 6+ credits of math/science); OR qualifying military/community service history; OR a 3.0+ GPA UAB MSMBS graduate/near-graduate. If your overall GPA is below 2.75 but your most recent semester's performance is strong, calculate your last-30-credit-hours GPA specifically - it's a genuinely separate qualifying path, not just supplementary context.
Nursing applicants: hit the Ida Moffett School's 3.0 GPA and 1000 SAT combined threshold as your baseline, and know Samford's test-optional policy does NOT automatically extend to this program
While Samford's general freshman admission is test-optional for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles, the Ida Moffett School of Nursing's BSN track has historically referenced a specific minimum SAT threshold alongside its 3.0 GPA floor - confirm directly with the School of Nursing whether test-optional status applies to direct-entry BSN review specifically, since program-level policies can diverge from the university-wide test-optional stance even when both instructions link back to the same general test-optional messaging.
Submit your essay through whichever platform you choose (Samford app or Common App) but hit the specific word count - Samford states both 250-word-minimum and 500-word framings depending on the source document, so default to the longer version to be safe
Samford's current admissions page states an essay "should be 250 words minimum (one to two pages preferred)," while the university's official undergraduate catalog references "approximately 500 words" responding to one of the application's essay questions - write to the one-to-two-page target described on the live application page rather than a bare 250-word minimum, since "preferred" length signals what actually gets read as a complete response.
Expert Insight:
Because Samford is test-optional for freshman admission and broadly holistic, applicants sometimes assume every professional program inherits the same flexibility - the McWhorter School of Pharmacy's Early Assurance Program is explicitly the opposite: it requires ACT/SAT-equivalent-level academic rigor documented through GPA thresholds (3.5 overall/3.4 prep-course), a successful committee interview, active participation in the Pre-Pharmacy Club every semester, and zero disciplinary conduct violations - losing EAP eligibility at any point during the two-year prepharmacy sequence (e.g., dropping below the required 3.0 semester GPA) forfeits the guaranteed PharmD seat entirely, reverting the student to the standard competitive PharmCAS pool.
Samford University Profile
Full Name
Samford University
City
Birmingham
State
Alabama
ZIP Code
35229-2240
Type
Non-Profit Private
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCC)
Is a Samford University Degree Worth It?
Whether Samford University is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals. Here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $69,600, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.68%.
How much does a degree from Samford University Cost?
The sticker price is $53,934/year, but the average net price students actually pay, after Pell and federal grants, is typically much lower.
10.8% of students receive a Pell Grant and 28.7% take federal loans at Samford University. File your FAFSA early and list Samford University as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Samford University Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $58,469. That's about 44% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Compare Similar Colleges
Less Competitive Schools
These schools have lower average SAT or ACT scores than Samford University. If your SAT or ACT score is slightly lower, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | 1174 | 25 |
| Harding University | Searcy, AR | 1187 | 25 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | 1155 | 22 |
| University of New Haven | West Haven, CT | 1190 | NA |
| Florida International University | Miami, FL | 1154 | 23 |
| Nova Southeastern University | Fort Lauderdale, FL | 1182 | 25 |
| Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, GA | 1178 | 25 |
| Spelman College | Atlanta, GA | 1184 | 24 |
| Toccoa Falls College | Toccoa Falls, GA | 1155 | 23 |
| Chaminade University of Honolulu | Honolulu, HI | 1155 | NA |
Equally Competitive Schools
These schools have the same range of average SAT or ACT scores as Samford University. If your SAT or ACT score is competitive, you'll be competitive for these schools also.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham-Southern College | Birmingham, AL | 1197 | 24 |
| Ouachita Baptist University | Arkadelphia, AR | 1212 | 25 |
| Dominican University of California | San Rafael, CA | 1194 | 26 |
| Eastern Connecticut State University | Willimantic, CT | 1200 | NA |
| University of Hartford | West Hartford, CT | 1207 | 29 |
More Competitive Schools
These schools have higher average SAT or ACT scores than Samford University. If you improve your SAT or ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School | Location | SAT | ACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama at Birmingham | Birmingham, AL | 1251 | 26 |
| University of Arizona | Tucson, AZ | 1261 | 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott | Prescott, AZ | 1256 | 27 |
| Biola University | La Mirada, CA | 1258 | 27 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | San Diego, CA | 1278 | 26 |
Degree Programs at Samford University
Bachelor Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Samford University Admissions
Median graduate earnings at Samford University run about $58,469 a year.
At about $53,934 a year, Samford University's cost is on the higher end; look closely at aid options.
Samford University's Pell Grant rate of 10.8% sits below the national average. Merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
At 82.2%, Samford University's acceptance rate is on the more attainable end compared to top-tier selective schools.
Admitted students at Samford University average a 3.84 GPA.
Samford University doesn't publish a hard GPA floor, but landing at or above 3.54 keeps you in the typical applicant range; below it, lean on essays and recommendations.
Below 3.44, Samford University becomes a harder reach, though a strong test score, meaningful activities, and AP/IB coursework can still make a real case.
A strong SAT score matters at Samford University — aim above 1203, ideally within the 1070–1260 range admitted students typically fall in.
The application deadline for Samford University is November 1 for Early Action applicants.
The application fee is 50. Fee waivers may be available. Check with admissions.
Yes, transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most, along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.