Samford University

Birmingham, AL 35229
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Samford University is the top-ranked private university in Alabama, with a growing student body and several nursing programs. It is a not-for-profit school with on-campus housing and 4-year degrees. Established in 1841, Samford is also one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the US. Samford is a Christian college and offers 30 different degree programs and 166 concentrations. Samford University is in Homewood, a beautiful suburb of Birmingham with great views of Red Mountain. The campus is located about five miles south of downtown Birmingham, providing convenient access to the central region of Alabama.

Samford University provides several tracks for those interested in a nursing career, through their Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing. Programs include Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, Nurse Anesthesia, and Nurse Management. While they offer a simulation center and skills lab, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing allows students to complete their clinical work at major health-care facilities in the greater Birmingham area. Samford University also has several key statistics that help make it an attractive option for prospective nurses. Samford boasts a 97% employment rate for undergraduates within six months of graduation. They also offer a great student to faculty ratio of 13:1. Nursing graduates also regularly achieve pass rates that exceed the state and national average. 

Institution Overview

Campus LocaleLarge Suburb
Number of Students5,509
Student to Faculty Ratio12:1
Is Admission OpenNo
Religious Affiliation
Baptist
Level4-year
TypePrivate
Business ModelNot-for-profit
On Campus HousingYes
Retention Rate87%

Nursing Programs

The Samford University, Ida V. Moffett School of Nursing offers a MSN Degree in a flexible online setting.The program prepares its graduates to practice in an advanced capacity to meet patient needs and to manage a range of health care settings.

The program offers different tracks including Family Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Anesthesia, Nurse Educator, and Nurse Management.

The Family Nurse Practitioner tracks prepares students to offer primary care after successful completing the national certification exams while the Nurse Anesthesia program prepares graduates to sit for the nurse anesthesia national certification  examination. The nurse educator track is intended for those who are interested in becoming clinical or academic educators and the management track trains students for entry and mid-level managers.

Admission Requirements

  • A BSN degree from a program accredited by the CCNE or NLNAC
  • Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0
  • GRE or MAT scores (taken within the last five years)
  • The GRE requirement is waived for applicants with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.20 or postgraduate GPA of 3.00 or above.

Applicants are also required to have a C grade or higher in at least one undergraduate course in nursing research and a B grade or higher in one undergraduate health assessment course.

Nursing Programs Graduates (2017-2018 academic year)

Number of Graduates
Degree type Men Women
Bachelor's degree 13 99
Master's degree 23 55
Doctor's degree - professional practice 1 30
Average NCLEX pass rate
  • NCLEX-RN: 94.5%

Compare Schools

Nursing schools located within 142 miles radius of Samford University

Herzing University-Birmingham
2 miles away
Stillman College
49 miles away
Judson College
65 miles away
Oakwood University
90 miles away
Tuskegee University
95 miles away
LaGrange College
105 miles away
Shorter University
107 miles away
Berry College
108 miles away
Martin Methodist College
121 miles away
Herzing University-Atlanta
142 miles away

Frequently compared schools

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Accreditations

Institutional Accreditations
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
01/01/1920 - Current
Nursing Programs Accreditations
Nursing (CNDNP) - Nursing education programs at the doctorate degree levels
CCNE
04/04/2011 - Current
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels
CCNE
03/03/2000 - Current
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels
CCNE
03/03/2000 - Current
Nurse Anesthesia (ANEST) - Institutions and programs at the master's degree, post master's certificate or doctoral degree levels
COA
05/17/2003 - Current

Admission

83%

Acceptance Rate
Enrolled students test score (Fall 2017)
SAT1080 to 1280
ACT23 to 29
Admission considerations
Secondary school GPA Required
Secondary school rank Considered but not required
Secondary school record Required
Completion of college-preparatory program Considered but not required
Recommendations Required
Formal demonstration of competencies Considered but not required
Admission test scores (SAT/ACT) Required
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) Recommended
Other Test (Wonderlic, WISC-III, etc.) Recommended

In addition to the college's admission requirements each nursing program might have its own admission criteria (such as: TEAS score, HESI A2 score, nursing prerequisites GPA, etc).
Application fee
Undergrads $40
Graduates $35

Cost to Attend

The following table details the reported cost of attendance per credit hour for the 2017-2018 academic year.

Undergrad courses
In District Students$991/credit
In State Students$991/credit
Out of State Students$991/credit
Graduate courses
In District Students$813/credit
In State Students$813/credit
Out of State Students$813/credit

Tuition Estimates

Based on the above credit hour costs, here is a sample tuition for different nursing programs.

Program Credit Hours In district In State Out of State
LPN 45 $44,595 $44,595 $44,595
ADN 70 $69,370 $69,370 $69,370
BSN 125 $123,875 $123,875 $123,875
FNP 50 $40,650 $40,650 $40,650
Please note that the above cost estimate does not include school fees, books, supplies, etc.You need to allot additional money for that.
If you attend a private, for-profit school, usually the additional cost (besides tuition) is about 10% of the tuition. If you attend a public school or a not-for-profit private school, the additional cost is around 50% of the tuition.

Financial Aid

In 2017-2018 academic year, 98% of Samford University's students received financial aid. Below is the breakdown of the financial aid provided to students.

Students Receiving Aid Average Amount/Student
Pell Grant 13% $3,946
Other Federal Grant 7% $960
State Grant & Scholarships 18% $1,149
Institutional Grant & Scholarships 97% $14,174
Federal Student Loans 32% $6,059
Private Loans 5% $17,868

$30,017

Average Net Price
The average net price is calculated by subtracting the average amount of financial aid received by students from the total cost of attendance.
Average Net Price by Family Income
Less than $30,000$22,537
$30,001 to $48,000$24,258
$48,001 to $75,000$27,927
$75,001 to $110,000$30,035
Over $110,000$31,943

Calculate your net price

Student Population

3,373

Undergrads

2,136

Graduates

3,591

Women

1,918

Men

94%

Full-time

6%

Par-time

Ethnic Diversity
White
81%
Black/African American
10%
Hispanic
3%
Two or more races
2%
Non-resident alien
2%
Asian
1%
Race/ethnicity unknown
1%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0%

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Data source: https://nces.ed.gov (2017-2018 colleges survey) and Alabama state board of nursing.
Samford University
800 Lakeshore Drive
Birmingham, AL 35229
Website

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