Published on November 12, 2012 by Philip Poole  

Â鶹ÊÓƵ continues to rise on the annual list of best college values published by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. In the 2012 list of top 100 "Best Values in Private Colleges" recently released, Samford was number 63, up two places from its number 65 ranking in last year's list and significantly higher than the number 80 rank two years ago.

Kiplinger rates universities in five areas: cost and financial aid; student indebtedness; competitiveness; graduation rates; and academic support, which includes freshmen to sophomore retention rates and student-to-faculty ratio.

"The areas that Kiplinger's considers in determining its rankings are areas that are very important to Samford's constituents," said Jason Black, Samford's dean of admission. "To have this level of national recognition for our affordability and academic success is important to our students, their parents and our entire university community. It affirms the outstanding value of a Samford education."

The largest factor in the ratings is cost and financial aid, which helps Samford, Black noted. According to Kiplinger's, the most points go to "schools with the lowest total cost - tuition, fees, room and board, and books - with equal points to schools that knock down the price through non-need-based aid."  Samford's total cost per year -- $34,400 - was among the very lowest of the schools ranked. Only Brigham Young ($17,552) and Indiana Wesleyan ($31,964) universities were lower.

Samford compares favorably with its peers in this latest ranking. It is the only Alabama university on the private schools best values list. Earlier this year, The Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Alabama (89) and Auburn Â鶹ÊÓƵ (90) were ranked on Kiplinger's list of best public universities.

Elon Â鶹ÊÓƵ (22) and Samford are the only two Southern Conference members in the Kiplinger top 100 rankings.

Other historically Baptist schools ranked by Kiplinger were the Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Richmond (11), Wake Forest Â鶹ÊÓƵ (29), Baylor Â鶹ÊÓƵ (48) and Union Â鶹ÊÓƵ (72).

Other Southeastern schools ranked by Kiplinger are Duke Â鶹ÊÓƵ (4), Vanderbilt Â鶹ÊÓƵ (13), Emory Â鶹ÊÓƵ (15), Â鶹ÊÓƵ of Miami, Fla., (37), Tulane Â鶹ÊÓƵ (51), Rollins College (78), Centenary College of Louisiana (88) and Loyola Â鶹ÊÓƵ, La. (97). Rollins was ranked first in Samford's peer group by U.S. News.

Yale Â鶹ÊÓƵ topped this year's list.

 
Located in the Homewood suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford enrolls 6,324 students from 44 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Ranked among U.S. News & World Report’s 35 Most Beautiful College Campuses, Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and boasts one of the highest scores in the nation for its 97% Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.