Samford vs Stanford

Samford University and Stanford University, despite sharing similar names, offer distinct educational experiences. Samford, a private Christian university in Birmingham, Alabama, boasts a tight-knit community and a strong emphasis on faith-based learning. Stanford, a prestigious private research university in Stanford, California, is renowned for its academic excellence and groundbreaking research. With acceptance rates of 84% and 5%, respectively, these universities cater to different applicant pools. Samford's popular majors include nursing, business, and education, while Stanford offers a wide range of programs, including engineering, computer science, and humanities. Explore the comparison table to delve into further details about these universities, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which institution aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Samford University	Stanford University
Overview
Location	Birmingham, Alabama	Stanford, California
Campus setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	4-1-4	Quarter
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	89.0%	98.0%
Common app member	Yes	No
Religious affiliation	Baptist

Admission
Acceptance rate	83.9%	3.9%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $40 Graduate: $35	Undergraduate: $90 Graduate: $125
SAT range	1100 - 1290	1470 - 1570
ACT range	23 - 29	34 - 35
Students submitting SAT score	22.0%	15.0%
Students submitting ACT score	66.0%	11.0%
Total number of applicants	4,217	55,471
Total number of admissions given out	3,537	2,190
Admitted students who chose to enroll	920	1,757
Yield rate	26.0%	80.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Not required
Recommendation letters	Required	Required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Not required	Not required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	$53,100	$78,898
Average net price	$31,871	$14,402
Tuition	$34,410	$55,473
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,150 Meal plan: $5,110	Room/dormitory: $11,166 Meal plan: $6,694
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $19,443	61.0% Average amount $56,211
Students receiving federal student loan	31.0% Average amount $5,320	5.0% Average amount $5,151
Students taking out private loans	6.0% Average amount $19,317	1.0% Average amount $17,186

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	3,607 Men 33.4% Women 66.6%	7,645 Men 49.4% Women 50.6%
Graduate students	2,151 Men 32.3% Women 67.7%	10,035 Men 56.5% Women 43.5%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Very Low	Moderate
Out-of-state students	73.0%	58.5%
International students	0.8%	24.4%
Campus local/setting	Suburb: Large	Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity	2,375	14,621
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	Yes
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Alabama Georgia Tennessee Texas Florida	California Texas Washington New York Illinois

Academics
Popular study areas	Health Professions Legal Profession Business Education Family and Consumer Sciences	Engineering Computer and Information Science Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Physical Science
Students to faculty ratio	12:1	5:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	78.9%	95.5%
Dropout rate	20.9%	1.7%
Transferred out	N/A	0.6%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	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	Law (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $151,574 Year 2: $170,457 Year 3: $210,837 Computer Science (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $159,729 Year 2: $168,942 Year 3: $203,193 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $164,734 Year 2: $163,337 Year 3: $187,054 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $137,457 Year 2: $150,874 Year 3: $173,548 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $136,126 Year 2: $136,499 Year 3: $165,375 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $128,556 Year 2: $135,709 Year 3: $157,500 Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $123,354 Year 2: $106,421 Year 3: $139,234 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $105,326 Year 2: $111,435 Year 3: $126,185 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $108,457 Year 2: $90,856 Year 3: $107,477 Economics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $60,475 Year 2: $85,391 Year 3: $104,592

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the primary differences in location and campus environment between Samford University and Stanford University?

Samford University is located in Birmingham, Alabama, offering a traditional Southern campus experience with a close-knit community feel. Stanford University, on the other hand, is situated in the heart of Silicon Valley, California, providing a more expansive campus with a focus on innovation and a diverse, global student body. The climate and surrounding environment also differ significantly, with Birmingham experiencing a humid subtropical climate and Stanford enjoying a Mediterranean climate.
How do the academic programs and research opportunities compare at Samford and Stanford?

Stanford University is renowned for its top-tier academic programs and extensive research opportunities across various disciplines, including engineering, computer science, and humanities. It attracts leading faculty and offers cutting-edge research facilities. Samford University provides a strong liberal arts education with a focus on undergraduate teaching and a more personalized learning experience. While Samford offers research opportunities, they are generally less extensive than those available at Stanford, which is a major research institution.
What is the student body like at each university?

Stanford University boasts a highly selective and diverse student body, drawing students from around the world. The student body is known for its intellectual curiosity, ambition, and entrepreneurial spirit. Samford University has a more regionally focused student body, with a significant portion of students coming from the Southeast. The community is generally known for its strong Christian values and emphasis on community involvement.
How does the cost of attendance compare between Samford and Stanford?

The cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, room, and board, is generally higher at Stanford University than at Samford University. However, both universities offer financial aid and scholarships to help make education more affordable. Prospective students should carefully review the financial aid packages offered by each institution to determine the net cost of attendance.
What are the strengths of Samford University?

Samford University excels in providing a strong liberal arts education with a focus on undergraduate teaching, a supportive campus community, and a commitment to Christian values. It offers a more personalized learning experience and a strong sense of community, making it an excellent choice for students seeking a close-knit environment.
What are the strengths of Stanford University?

Stanford University is distinguished by its world-class academic programs, extensive research opportunities, and its location in the heart of Silicon Valley. It offers unparalleled access to innovation, technology, and a diverse, global network of students and faculty. Its graduates are highly sought after in various fields.
How do the career services and alumni networks differ?

Stanford University's career services and alumni network are exceptionally strong, providing students with extensive resources and connections to top employers worldwide. The university's location in Silicon Valley offers unique career opportunities in technology and related fields. Samford University also provides career services, but the network is generally more regionally focused, with a strong emphasis on connections within the Southeast.
What is the overall campus culture like at each university?

Stanford University has a vibrant and dynamic campus culture, characterized by innovation, entrepreneurship, and a strong emphasis on extracurricular activities. The campus is known for its diverse student body and its focus on global issues. Samford University fosters a more traditional campus culture, with a strong emphasis on community, faith, and student involvement in campus organizations and activities.
How selective are Samford and Stanford in their admissions processes?

Stanford University is one of the most selective universities in the world, with an extremely low acceptance rate. Admission is highly competitive, and the university seeks students with exceptional academic records, extracurricular achievements, and leadership potential. Samford University is also selective, but the acceptance rate is generally higher than Stanford's. The admissions process considers academic performance, standardized test scores, and extracurricular involvement, but the competition is less intense than at Stanford.
Which university is better for a student interested in a specific field, such as engineering or pre-med?

Stanford University is generally considered to be a better choice for students interested in engineering, computer science, and related fields due to its world-class programs, research opportunities, and location in Silicon Valley. Both universities offer pre-med programs, but Stanford's pre-med program benefits from its association with a top-tier medical school and extensive research facilities. Samford University's pre-med program is also strong, but it may not offer the same level of research opportunities as Stanford.

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