AL
Samford University
0.98 incidents / 1,000 students
Birmingham, AL · Clery Act 2024 · Private Nonprofit
Samford University
Across 2022–2024, Samford University reported 11 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count fell over that span (largest filed category: Burglary). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: University of West Alabama.
- 0.98
- Incidents / 1k students
- #620
- Rank of 2,072
- #32
- AL rank
- 6,097
- Enrolled students
0.98 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Samford University reports 0.98 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 11% above Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus (0.00/1k); Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (0.33/1k); Gavilan College (0.82/1k); Lincoln Memorial University (1.81/1k); City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College (1.47/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes University of West Alabama (1.17/1k); Auburn University at Montgomery (2.11/1k); Alabama A & M University (5.62/1k); Alabama State University (5.15/1k); University of Alabama in Huntsville (1.87/1k); Tuskegee University (2.88/1k); University of Montevallo (0.32/1k); Faulkner University (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 0.98
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #620
- safer than ranked campuses its size
- 70%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 4
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 102049 · Samford University 0.98/1k score rate · #620/2,072
RATE-QUIET · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO
- RATE-QUIET 0.98/1k
- RANK-MID #620/2,072
- ST-MID #32 in state
- ABOVE-PEER Gavilan College · +0.16
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-DOWN ↓ 20%
- CAT-LEAD Burglary
- ENR-MID 6,097
- FIRE-ZERO 0 fires filed
Nearest enrollment peer: Gavilan College (-0.16/1k)
Samford University sheet RATE-QUIET · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO · peer Gavilan College. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-QUIET · RANK-MID · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-DOWN · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-ZERO. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is Gavilan College (-0.16/1k). National rank #620 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Samford University reports 0.98 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 11% above Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus (0.00/1k); Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (0.33/1k); Gavilan College (0.82/1k); Lincoln Memorial University (1.81/1k); City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College (1.47/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes University of West Alabama (1.17/1k); Auburn University at Montgomery (2.11/1k); Alabama A & M University (5.62/1k); Alabama State University (5.15/1k); University of Alabama in Huntsville (1.87/1k); Tuskegee University (2.88/1k); University of Montevallo (0.32/1k); Faulkner University (0.00/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Burglary.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Samford University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Samford on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey · lowest peer 0
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Wichita State University-Campus of · near 0.33
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology — near
0.33 per 1,000 students
- Gavilan College · near
Gavilan College — near
0.82 per 1,000 students
- Samford University · this campus
Samford University — this campus
0.98 per 1,000 students
- City Colleges of Chicago-Harold · near
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College — near
1.47 per 1,000 students
- Lincoln Memorial University · highest peer
Lincoln Memorial University — highest peer
1.81 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Samford University's 0.98/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Samford University increased from 2 to 4 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 32 AL 4-year peers in this comparison, Samford University is larger than 65% and safer-reporting than 58% - the larger, safer-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 68, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 52
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 45
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 71, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 16
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 74, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 48
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 55, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 52, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 65
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 48, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 45, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 77, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 32
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 35, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 26
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 32, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 29, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 26, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 55
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 23, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 13
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 16, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 13, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 10, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 84, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 87, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 29
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 90, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 68
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 10
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 23
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 35
- Samford University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 65, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville Bible College | 98 | 0.00 | 0 | 68 |
| Heritage Christian University | 178 | 0.00 | 3 | 68 |
| South University-Montgomery | 303 | 0.00 | 6 | 68 |
| United States Sports University | 367 | 0.00 | 10 | 68 |
| Herzing University-Birmingham | 444 | 0.00 | 13 | 68 |
| Stillman College | 731 | 13.68 | 16 | 0 |
| Talladega College | 760 | 6.58 | 19 | 13 |
| Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine | 778 | 0.00 | 23 | 68 |
| Huntingdon College | 892 | 1.12 | 26 | 55 |
| Spring Hill College | 919 | 13.06 | 29 | 6 |
| Miles College | 1,180 | 13.56 | 32 | 3 |
| Samford University (this campus) | 6,097 | 0.98 | 65 | 58 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Samford University rose from 2 to 4 (+100%). The increase shows up in Rape (0 to 2).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Samford University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 4 Clery Act categories here: Burglary, Rape, Aggravated Assault and Motor Vehicle Theft.
The remaining 7 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Arson, Fondling, Incest and Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlySamford University: Criminal Offenses by year
Declining 20% (5 → 4 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 4 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burglary | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Rape | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Aggravated Assault | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fondling | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
18 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2024 | 1 | 2 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 60 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 0 | 2 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 2 | 2 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 0 | 56 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 7 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 1 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 0 | 74 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 0 | 0 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 1 | 1 |
Samford University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
PR
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
KS
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
0.33 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Samford University sits on price and outcomes
At $32,622, Samford University's reported average net price is cheaper than 97% among 65 Alabama colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $15,258.
- $32,622
- average net price
- $15,258
- Alabama median
- 2.5×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $13,519
- reported income-bracket spread
Net price moves with income here, but not sharply: $22,716 for families reporting under $30,000 against $36,235 above $110,000, a difference of $13,519. Aid narrows the gap without closing it, so the $32,622 average sits reasonably close to what most brackets report.
Six-year median earnings of $49,466 run about 1.5 times the annual net price. The margin is real but narrow, so how many years of price a student actually pays matters a great deal here.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $40,150
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $40,150
- Avg Net Price
- $32,622
- Median Debt
- $19,500
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 11%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 82%
- SAT Average
- 1201
- SAT Math Range
- 520-610
- ACT Average
- 26
- ACT Range
- 22-28
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 78%
- Retention Rate
- 93%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $49,466
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $58,469
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 83%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 1,010 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus
San Juan, PR · 6,097 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology
Wichita, KS · 6,106 enrolled
Safety Score 0.33
Gavilan College
Gilroy, CA · 6,083 enrolled
Safety Score 0.82
Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, TN · 6,081 enrolled
Safety Score 1.81
City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College
Chicago, IL · 6,121 enrolled
Safety Score 1.47
Closest by National Rank
Samford University (national rank #620) sits near Salina Area Technical College (#621) and Grace Christian University (#619) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Samford University, both outside AL so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus
San Juan, PR · 6,097 enrolled
Safety score 0.00
Lincoln Memorial University
Harrogate, TN · 6,081 enrolled
Safety score 1.81
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell, WA · 6,058 enrolled
Safety score 0.99
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA · 6,053 enrolled
Safety score 5.95
Paradise Valley Community College
Phoenix, AZ · 6,148 enrolled
Safety score 0.16
Winona State University
Winona, MN · 6,045 enrolled
Safety score 3.80
Nicholls State University
Thibodaux, LA · 6,043 enrolled
Safety score 1.16
Rhode Island College
Providence, RI · 6,155 enrolled
Safety score 2.27
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
Grace Christian University
Wyoming, MI · 1,017 enrolled
Safety score 0.98
Pierce College District
Lakewood, WA · 8,137 enrolled
Safety score 0.98
Jackson College
Jackson, MI · 5,086 enrolled
Safety score 0.98
Marymount University
Arlington, VA · 4,060 enrolled
Safety score 0.99
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ · 13,247 enrolled
Safety score 0.98
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Goodwell, OK · 1,021 enrolled
Safety score 0.98
Wenatchee Valley College
Wenatchee, WA · 3,067 enrolled
Safety score 0.98
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Samford University safe?
Samford University has a safety score of 0.98 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #620 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set: University of West Alabama (1.17/1k); Auburn University at Montgomery (2.11/1k); Alabama A & M University (5.62/1k); Alabama State University (5.15/1k); University of Alabama in Huntsville (1.87/1k); Tuskegee University (2.88/1k); University of Montevallo (0.32/1k); Faulkner University (0.00/1k).
What crimes are reported at Samford University?
For calendar year 2024, Samford University reported Rape (2), Aggravated Assault (1) and Burglary (1) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Samford University compare to similar schools?
Samford University reports 11% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus (0.00/1k); Wichita State University-Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (0.33/1k); Gavilan College (0.82/1k); Lincoln Memorial University (1.81/1k); City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College (1.47/1k). Same-state same-level set: University of West Alabama (1.17/1k); Auburn University at Montgomery (2.11/1k); Alabama A & M University (5.62/1k); Alabama State University (5.15/1k); University of Alabama in Huntsville (1.87/1k); Tuskegee University (2.88/1k); University of Montevallo (0.32/1k); Faulkner University (0.00/1k).
Does Samford University have fire safety data?
Yes. Samford University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. No fires were reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.