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Is Samford University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Samford, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Stretch
Samford sits in the stretch band for a typical family. The long-run earnings picture at $58,469 helps, but median debt of $19,500 plus yearly net price of $32,622 creates a tighter path. For context, Samford's net price runs about 41% above the typical 4-year, private nonprofit school. It can work, but the financing plan has to be deliberate.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 1237 similar 4-year, private nonprofit schools
This school
$32,176
/yrAverage school like this
$22,837
/yrThis weighs on your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $9,339 more per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $37,000 in extra cost.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price is doing real work against the score and raises the financing burden quickly.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$32,622
Median earnings 10 years out
$58,469
Median debt at graduation
$19,500
Graduation rate
78%
At Samford, a typical graduate carries about $19,500 in student debt and earns roughly $58,469 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $222 per month, or 5% of pre-tax income. That sits inside a borrower comfort range for many graduates.
What this means for your family
Samford is a private nonprofit four year school in Birmingham, AL. Private pricing can swing more dramatically based on aid, so your personalized score matters more here than the national average view alone.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private nonprofit 4-year
Tuskegee
Tuskegee, AL
Worth-It Score: 31/100
Median net price: $35,013
Private nonprofit 4-year
Oakwood
Huntsville, AL
Worth-It Score: 33/100
Median net price: $25,669
Private nonprofit 4-year
Huntingdon
Montgomery, AL
Worth-It Score: 46/100
Median net price: $22,566
Private nonprofit 4-year
University of Mobile
Mobile, AL
Worth-It Score: 45/100
Median net price: $22,382
Private nonprofit 4-year
Faulkner
Montgomery, AL
Worth-It Score: 39/100
Median net price: $22,085
Common questions about Samford
The median net price at Samford is $32,622 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at private colleges options in Alabama? See the most affordable private colleges in Alabama →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →