Samford University vs. Florida Southern

Should I go to Samford University or Florida Southern College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Samford University or Florida Southern is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Samford University vs. Florida Southern College comparison
Samford University Florida Southern College College 3 College 4
Samford University Florida Southern College
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Overview

Samford University Florida Southern
Location Birmingham, AL Lakeland, FL
Setting Large Suburban Small City
Enrollment 5,682 3,281
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #213 #425
Religious Affiliation Baptist United Methodist - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website samford.edu flsouthern.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Samford University Florida Southern
Tuition (In State) $35,750 $39,700
Tuition (Out of State) $35,750 $39,700
Room & Board $11,264 $12,400
Avg Net Price $31,803 $27,324
Avg Grant Aid $20,711 $27,730
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Samford University Florida Southern
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,337 11,120
Admitted 3,611 6,295
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 56.6%
Enrolled % 27% 12%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Challenging Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 23/29 22/29
SAT Range 1080/1270 1080/1290
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 1, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

Samford University Florida Southern
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Health Professions (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Social Sciences (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Samford University Florida Southern
Graduation Rate 70% 55%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,400 $42,700
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $232 $248

Diversity

Samford University Florida Southern
% Men 32% 37%
% Women 68% 63%
Racial Diversity Very Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 81% 74%
% Black 7% 6%
% Hispanic 5% 11%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 2%
% International 3% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

Samford University Florida Southern
% In-State 25% 51%
% Out-of-State 74% 45%

Campus

Samford University Florida Southern
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes Yes
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Samford University is larger than than Florida Southern based on total student enrollment (5,682 students vs. 3,281 students)

Samford University vs. Florida Southern Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Samford University or Florida Southern?

  • Florida Southern College is 11% more expensive to attend than Samford University for in-state tuition ($39,700.00 vs. $35,750.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 11% higher at Florida Southern than Samford University ($39,700.00 vs. $35,750.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida Southern College than Samford University ($27,324 vs. $31,803)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Samford University are 10.1% lower than costs at Florida Southern College ($11,264 vs. $12,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida Southern College than Samford University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Florida Southern College students is 33.9% larger than aid received Samford University ($27,730 vs. $20,711)

Samford University vs. Florida Southern Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Samford University or Florida Southern? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Florida Southern or Samford University .

  • The average SAT score at Florida Southern College (1172) is 10 points higher than at Samford University (1162)
  • Incoming Florida Southern students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Samford University (26)
  • Accepted freshman Samford University students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Florida Southern (3.73)
  • Samford University has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than Florida Southern (56.6%)

Samford University vs. Florida Southern Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Samford University or Florida Southern? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Florida Southern and Samford University.

  • The graduation rate at Samford University is higher than Florida Southern College (70% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Samford University earn on average $14,700 more per year than Florida Southern graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $42,700)
  • Samford University students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida Southern graduates. ($22,500 vs. $24,000)
  • Samford University graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Florida Southern graduates. ($232 vs. $248)
  • More Samford University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida Southern students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 65%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/