The Catholic University of America (CUA) vs Samford

The Catholic University of America and Samford University, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. The Catholic University of America, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., is a private Catholic research university with a diverse student body and a strong focus on liberal arts and professional studies. Samford University, nestled in the vibrant city of Birmingham, Alabama, is a private Christian university known for its commitment to faith-based education and its emphasis on undergraduate research. While both universities share a dedication to academic excellence, they differ in their acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	The Catholic University of America	Samford University
Overview
Location	Washington, District of Columbia	Birmingham, Alabama
Campus setting	City: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	88.0%	89.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Catholic	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	86.0%	83.9%
Application fees	$60	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	5,895	4,217
Total number of admissions given out	5,070	3,537
Admitted students who chose to enroll	691	920
Yield rate	13.6%	26.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$74,126	$53,100
Average net price	$35,520	$31,871
Tuition	$51,040	$34,410
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $9,220 Meal plan: $6,800	Room/dormitory: $6,150 Meal plan: $5,110
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	96.0% Average amount $31,915	99.0% Average amount $19,443
Students receiving federal student loan	56.0% Average amount $5,308	31.0% Average amount $5,320
Students taking out private loans	9.0% Average amount $22,405	6.0% Average amount $19,317

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	2,929 Men 44.1% Women 55.9%	3,607 Men 33.4% Women 66.6%
Graduate students	2,130 Men 47.2% Women 52.8%	2,151 Men 32.3% Women 67.7%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Very Low
Out-of-state students	N/A	73.0%
International students	8.3%	0.8%
Campus local/setting	City: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	1,985	2,375
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	N/A	Alabama Georgia Tennessee Texas Florida

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Public Administration and Social Service Legal Profession Visual & Performing Arts Health Professions	Health Professions Legal Profession Business Education Family and Consumer Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	11:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Middle States Commission on Higher Education	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	73.7%	78.9%
Dropout rate	26.2%	20.9%
Transferred out	N/A	N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $100,058 Year 2: $100,690 Year 3: $108,981 Business Administration, Management and Operations (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $73,312 Year 2: $89,092 Year 3: $98,232 Human Resources Management and Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $72,088 Year 2: $73,769 Year 3: $83,282 Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $62,128 Year 2: $64,162 Year 3: $80,941 Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $51,938 Year 2: $53,984 Year 3: $77,885 Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $65,277 Year 2: $54,035 Year 3: $77,782 Civil Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $67,219 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: $77,474 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $71,927 Year 2: $69,338 Year 3: $74,919 Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: N/A Year 3: $71,180 Mechanical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $66,697 Year 2: $63,377 Year 3: $66,355	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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