Samford University garnered three top 10 rankings in The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse 2025 list of the best colleges in the U.S., highlighted by a No. 2 national ranking for character development and a No. 8 national ranking for quality of career preparation.

“Cultivating character and preparing students for their professional careers are at the heart of the Samford experience and its Christian mission,” said Samford President Beck A. Taylor. “Among many metrics for success, these national rankings place Samford within elite company. This milestone is a testament to our students, alumni and faculty, all of whom compel Samford’s academic reputation to flourish.

“These rankings illustrate the longstanding success of Samford in preparing graduates to lead lives of impact. They affirm the Samford experience is thriving.”

The character development category, new to The Wall Street Journal’s rankings this year, measures students’ sentiment on how the college equips them to make meaningful contributions to society, including moral courage, hopefulness, resilience, wisdom and a sense of justice.

The Wall Street Journal ranked Samford eighth nationally for career preparation, citing the quality of networking opportunities, career support and applied learning. About 97% of Samford undergraduate alumni are working or in further study within six months of graduation.

Samford ranked 10th on the list of most recommended colleges in the U.S. today. This category surveyed students and recent alumni to assess the likelihood of recommending their college and whether they would select their college again. It also measured satisfaction with the value of their college experience.

Samford was the lone university in Alabama to achieve a top 10 ranking in the categories of career preparation, character development and recommendation.

The WSJ 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S. rankings evaluate undergraduate institutions by the value they provide to students. Criteria include learning environments, years required to pay off the net price, degree completion rates, diversity and the likelihood of higher salaries post-graduation. Results used data from the U.S. Department of Education and the Census Bureau, along with an anonymous nationwide survey of 110,000 undergraduate students and alumni who graduated within the past five years.