Samford University

What Samford University does

Samford University is a private, non-profit Christian university chartered in 1841 as Howard College and renamed in 1965 after insurance executive Frank Park Samford Sr. The institution operates a 247-acre Georgian-Colonial campus in Homewood, Alabama (a Birmingham suburb) and a London Study Centre (Daniel House), serving approximately 6,324 enrolled students and employing more than 1,800 full-time and part-time staff. It offers 180+ undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations grounded in the liberal arts alongside 65+ graduate majors across 10 academic schools: Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business, Beeson Divinity School, Cumberland School of Law, Orlean Beeson School of Education, Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, School of Health Professions, School of Public Health, and School of the Arts.

The university's academic delivery is built on Canvas LMS as the core technology platform, supplemented by specialized facilities including a Data Analytics Lab, Portfolio Management Room, clinical simulation suites, audiology labs, and nutrition labs. The Brock School of Business hosts a Sports Analytics program that became the first in the U.S. to receive ASPA endorsement and features a Moneyball Team structure with Oxford-style mentorship. Recent capital projects include an $85 million Recreation, Wellness & Athletics Complex (completed September 2024) and a $30 million Johnson Controls infrastructure modernization. The Brock School of Business also includes a Sports Industry Program with employer placement at organizations including the Minnesota Vikings, PGA, Atlanta Braves, Charlotte FC, and Tennessee Titans.

Samford generates revenue primarily through tuition and fees across undergraduate and graduate programs (billed annually with financial aid, scholarships, and payment plans available) and auxiliary services including housing, dining, and a bookstore. The institution reports a $453.3 million annual economic impact on Alabama but does not disclose operating revenue. Distribution is primarily direct through centralized undergraduate and graduate admissions offices, with campus visits, virtual tours, and program-specific auditions/interviews as enrollment engagement channels; the university maintains social media presence across eight platforms and markets to international students from 16 countries. Governance is by a Board of Trustees under Alabama Baptist State Convention oversight, with Beck A. Taylor serving as president since 2021.

Name

Samford University

Legal name

Samford University

Website

https://samford.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1841

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Samford University is a private, Baptist-affiliated Christian university in Homewood, Alabama, serving roughly 6,324 students across 10 academic schools. It offers 180+ undergraduate liberal arts programs and 65+ graduate and professional degrees, including law, pharmacy, divinity, and the first ASPA-endorsed Sports Analytics program in the U.S.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Divinity Schools (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAKAC)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate professional schools
• Christian university education
• Doctoral professional programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue stream from undergraduate and graduate tuition and fees. Undergraduate programs and graduate programs have separate tuition structures.
2. Auxiliary Services: Revenue from housing, dining, bookstore, and other student services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Samford University is a private, non-profit Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts and more than 60 graduate degrees across 10 academic schools, including business, law, divinity, education, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and the arts. The university delivers instruction through on-campus facilities on its 247-acre Homewood, Alabama campus and via specialized labs, clinical partnerships, NCAA Division I athletics, and study-abroad programs including the London Study Centre.

Product overview

Samford University is a Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with nationally recognized graduate and professional schools across 10 academic units: School of the Arts, Howard College of Arts and Sciences, Brock School of Business (including Sports Analytics Program and Sports Industry Program), Beeson Divinity School, Orlean Beeson School of Education, School of Health Professions, Cumberland School of Law, Moffett & Sanders School of Nursing, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, and School of Public Health. The university operates modern facilities including the $85 million Campus Recreation, Wellness & Athletics Complex at Seibert Hall and Cooney Hall for business education. Community engagement programs include SamFit health testing and summer cooking camps. The institution is classified as a doctoral/professional institution by the Carnegie Commission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Brock School of Business
• Sports Analytics Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of undergraduate alumni working or in further study within six months of graduation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Trace Crossings Elementary SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Immersive clinical partnership with Trace Crossings Elementary School in Hoover, Alabama provides hands-on teacher preparation for education majors through classroom instruction, teaching labs, and extracurricular activities alongside mentor teachers from September through February.
• Homewood Middle SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Immersive clinical partnership with Homewood Middle School provides hands-on teacher preparation experience for education majors, specifically cited as key factor in program's national recognition from Association of Teacher Educators.
• Association of Sports Performance Analysts (ASPA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerASPA provided the first U.S. endorsement for Samford's Sports Analytics program, validating the program's innovative approach including its Moneyball Team structure, Oxford tutorial-style mentorship, and economics-based training. Positions Samford among elite global institutions including University of Chichester, Bournemouth University, and Loughborough University.
• Homewood CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Homewood on its Green Skies Initiative for environmental sustainability
• Johnson ControlsminorOthers$30 million infrastructure modernization project including new chilled water plant that consumes 40% less energy
• Minnesota VikingsminorOthersEmployer of Sports Analytics program graduates
• PGAminorOthersEmployer of Sports Analytics program graduates
• Atlanta BravesminorOthersEmployer of Sports Analytics program graduates
• Charlotte F.C.minorOthersEmployer of Sports Analytics program graduates
• Tennessee TitansminorOthersEmployer of Sports Analytics program graduates

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Baylor University: Baylor is a private, Baptist-affiliated Christian research university of similar size and structure to Samford — comparable in faith-based identity, NCAA Division I footprint, professional schools (business, law, health sciences), and Southeast/Texas geographic concentration. Strongest direct comparability given shared Baptist heritage and academic portfolio.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SUAdmission
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SamfordCommunication
• Facebookfacebook.com/SUAdmission
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/samford-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/samfordu
• Pinterestpinterest.com/samfordu
• TikToktiktok.com/@samfordu

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Samford University