Athens State vs Samford

Athens State University and Samford University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning in Alabama, offer distinct educational experiences. Athens State, a public university, boasts an acceptance rate of 88%, making it more accessible to a wider range of students. Samford, a private Christian university, has a more selective admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 73%. While both universities offer a diverse range of undergraduate programs, Athens State is known for its strong offerings in nursing, business, and education, while Samford excels in business, health sciences, and the liberal arts. The student body demographics also differ, with Athens State having a larger undergraduate population and a more diverse student body, while Samford has a smaller student body with a higher percentage of white students. Graduation rates are comparable, with Athens State reporting a four-year graduation rate of 24% and Samford reporting a four-year graduation rate of 27%. To help you make an informed decision about your higher education journey

	Athens State University	Samford University
Overview
Location	Athens, Alabama	Birmingham, Alabama
Campus setting	Town: Fringe	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate		89.0%
Common app member	No	Yes
Religious affiliation		Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	N/A	83.9%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $30 Graduate: $100	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $35
SAT range	N/A	1100 - 1290
ACT range	N/A	23 - 29
Students submitting SAT score		22.0%
Students submitting ACT score		66.0%
Total number of applicants		4,217
Total number of admissions given out		3,537
Admitted students who chose to enroll		920
Yield rate		26.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)		N/A
High school GPA	N/A	Required
Recommendation letters	N/A	Required
High school transcript	N/A	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	N/A	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price		$53,100
Average net price		$31,871
Tuition		$34,410
Room & board		Room/dormitory: $6,150 Meal plan: $5,110
Available payment plans		Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)		99.0% Average amount $19,443
Students receiving federal student loan		31.0% Average amount $5,320
Students taking out private loans		6.0% Average amount $19,317

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,559 Men 30.1% Women 69.9%	3,607 Men 33.4% Women 66.6%
Graduate students	235 Men 40.0% Women 60.0%	2,151 Men 32.3% Women 67.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	73.0%
International students	0.1%	0.8%
Campus local/setting	Town: Fringe	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	N/A	2,375
First year students are required to live on campus?	N/A	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Alabama Georgia Tennessee Texas Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Business Liberal Arts Law Enforcement and Firefighting Psychology	Health Professions Legal Profession Business Education Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	14:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	N/A	78.9%
Dropout rate	N/A	20.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $64,715 Year 2: $61,020 Year 3: $70,526 Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $47,403 Year 2: $41,193 Year 3: $56,951 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $45,102 Year 2: $41,406 Year 3: $49,154 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,224 Year 2: $41,087 Year 3: $46,692 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,685 Year 2: $36,745 Year 3: $39,413 Human Resources Management and Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,295 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $38,871 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $33,168 Year 2: $33,096 Year 3: $35,537 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,785 Year 2: $34,259 Year 3: $33,290 Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $32,066 Year 2: $28,236 Year 3: $27,727 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $24,640	Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $109,542 Year 2: $120,880 Year 3: $122,995 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $97,811 Year 2: $99,380 Year 3: $104,909 Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $86,528 Year 2: $91,363 Year 3: $88,884 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $40,304 Year 2: $52,941 Year 3: $67,171 Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $56,217 Year 2: $59,124 Year 3: $64,364 Law (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $47,785 Year 2: $48,667 Year 3: $61,547 Educational Administration and Supervision (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $52,967 Year 2: $54,851 Year 3: $57,875 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $57,355 Year 2: $54,948 Year 3: $54,480 Theological and Ministerial Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $37,947 Year 2: $39,585 Year 3: $46,442 Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $44,337 Year 2: $43,638 Year 3: $46,369

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