Samford University vs. ORU

Should I go to Samford University or Oral Roberts University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Samford University or ORU 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. Oral Roberts University comparison
Samford University Oral Roberts University College 3 College 4
Samford University Oral Roberts University
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Overview

Samford University ORU
Location Birmingham, AL Tulsa, OK
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 5,791 5,365
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #213 #890
Religious Affiliation Baptist Other Protestant - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website samford.edu oru.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Samford University ORU
Tuition (In State) $37,144 $32,500
Tuition (Out of State) $37,144 $32,500
Room & Board $12,160 $9,400
Avg Net Price $32,176 $24,347
Avg Grant Aid $21,758 $23,000
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 94%

Admission

Samford University ORU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,541 3,639
Admitted 3,734 3,588
Acceptance Rate 82.2% 98.6%
Enrolled % 28.9% 23.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.84 3.5
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/29 22/27
SAT Range 1070/1260 1083/1250
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, 2026

Academics

Samford University ORU
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (14%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Theology and Religious Vvocations (16%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)

Outcomes

Samford University ORU
Graduation Rate 70% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $57,400 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 77% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $29,244
Median Loan Payment $232 $302

Diversity

Samford University ORU
% Men 11% 7%
% Women 23% 8%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 81% 49%
% Black 7% 14%
% Hispanic 5% 8%
% Native American 0% 3%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 6%
% International 3% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 11%

Students

Samford University ORU
% In-State 23% 75%
% Out-of-State 77% 16%

Campus

Samford University ORU
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 ORU based on total student enrollment (5,791 students vs. 5,365 students)

Samford University vs. ORU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Samford University or ORU?

  • Samford University is 14.3% more expensive to attend than ORU for in-state tuition ($37,144.00 vs. $32,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 14.3% higher at Samford University than Oral Roberts University ($37,144.00 vs. $32,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Oral Roberts University than Samford University ($24,347 vs. $32,176)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Oral Roberts University are 29.4% lower than costs at Samford University ($9,400 vs. $12,160)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Samford University than Oral Roberts University (100% vs. 94%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Oral Roberts University students is 5.7% larger than aid received Samford University ($23,000 vs. $21,758)

Samford University vs. ORU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Samford University (1162) is 153 points higher than at ORU (1009)
  • Incoming Samford University students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (26) than students at ORU (22)
  • Accepted freshman Samford University students have a 0.34 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at ORU (3.5)
  • ORU has a higher acceptance rate (98.6%) than Samford University (82.2%)

Samford University vs. ORU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Samford University or ORU? 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 ORU and Samford University.

  • The graduation rate at Samford University is higher than Oral Roberts University (70% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Samford University earn on average $17,200 more per year than ORU graduates after ten years. ($57,400 vs. $40,200)
  • Samford University students graduate with a $6,744 lower median federal student loan debt than ORU graduates. ($22,500 vs. $29,244)
  • Samford University graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than ORU graduates. ($232 vs. $302)
  • More Samford University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ORU students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 59%)

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