Samford University 
The information on this page was last updated 7/6/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
At Samford University you'll find the personal relationships of a small college with the dynamic academic, cultural, and athletics resources of a major university.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Samford University
800 Lakeshore Dr
Birmingham, AL 35229
Website: samford.edu
Phone: 205-726-2011
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 630312914
CEO/President: Beck A. Taylor
Chairman: Hon. Karon Bowdre
Board size: 44
Founder: Alabama Baptist State Convention
Ruling year: 1951
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 06/30
Member of ECFA: No
Member of ECFA since:
Purpose
Anchored in Christian understanding, Samford University will be a diverse community, stressing vigorous learning and personal faith, in the Baptist tradition. Within that commonality, the community will be innovative in teaching, learning and research; sensitive to global issues; aggressive in self-assessment and continuous improvement. Faithful to its mission, Samford will be known and acknowledged worldwide by holding to its core values. The world will be better for it.
Mission statement
The mission of Samford University is to nurture persons in their development of intellect, creativity, faith, and personhood. As a Christian university, the community fosters academic, career, and ethical competency while encouraging social and civic responsibility, and service to others.
Statement of faith
Samford University's corporate expression of faith commitment is The Statement of Baptist Faith and Message of 1963, without amendment.
Donor confidence score
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Transparency grade
D
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Colleges/Universities
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 432 of 1423 | 48 of 155 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 380 of 1423 | 43 of 155 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 422 of 1423 | 35 of 155 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 885 of 1424 | 113 of 155 |
According to the organization's Form 990, it received $2,855,664 in government grants in 2025.
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 13% | 7% | 15% | 16% | 3% | 9% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 15% | 17% | 10% | 9% | 34% | 13% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 85% | 83% | 90% | 91% | 66% | 87% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 84% | 88% | 89% | 89% | 88% | 87% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 96% | 89% | 99% | 96% | 70% | 86% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 81% | 78% | 88% | 86% | 62% | 75% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 4% | 11% | 1% | 4% | 30% | 14% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 2% | 7% | 1% | 2% | 22% | 10% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 14% | 10% | 9% | 10% | 11% | 11% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.52 | 0.31 | 0.33 | 0.28 | 0.30 | 0.30 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 2.73 | 2.24 | 2.13 | 1.98 | 2.25 | 2.36 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.45 | 0.70 | 0.70 | 0.55 | 0.66 | 0.71 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 8.18 | 21.82 | 21.40 | 22.96 | 17.33 | 13.74 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.12 | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.07 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 6.99 | 16.25 | 16.41 | 20.80 | 17.01 | 15.70 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 20% | 41% | 38% | 47% | 42% | 51% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 10% | 27% | 20% | 29% | 22% | 28% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 148% | 186% | 188% | 191% | 195% | 165% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Cash | $38,375,510 | $41,097,533 | $139,968,236 | $65,793,558 | $60,627,138 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $51,271,649 | $40,199,084 | $47,789,104 | $108,213,596 | $27,022,796 |
| Short-term investments | $376,065,527 | $344,241,324 | $303,131,443 | $212,856,449 | $251,221,564 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $465,712,686 | $425,537,941 | $490,888,783 | $386,863,603 | $338,871,498 |
| Long-term investments | $135,440,983 | $127,399,738 | $125,792,257 | $135,047,799 | $123,682,515 |
| Fixed assets | $439,420,553 | $350,362,504 | $351,247,759 | $347,388,555 | $337,256,741 |
| Other long-term assets | $2,878,265 | $2,189,313 | $1,858,319 | $2,069,170 | $1,494,960 |
| Total long-term assets | $577,739,801 | $479,951,555 | $478,898,335 | $484,505,524 | $462,434,216 |
| Total assets | $1,043,452,487 | $905,489,496 | $969,787,118 | $871,369,127 | $801,305,714 |
| Liabilities | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $13,898,888 | $10,680,695 | $12,775,260 | $11,657,839 | $14,413,378 |
| Other current liabilities | $7,449,028 | $9,206,619 | $8,602,927 | $10,661,352 | $10,256,587 |
| Total current liabilities | $21,347,916 | $19,887,314 | $21,378,187 | $22,319,191 | $24,669,965 |
| Debt | $279,572,335 | $184,547,565 | $277,701,569 | $191,027,071 | $222,970,273 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $131,264,025 | $142,634,544 | $153,134,740 | $156,958,080 | $158,293,742 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $410,836,360 | $327,182,109 | $430,836,309 | $347,985,151 | $381,264,015 |
| Total liabilities | $432,184,276 | $347,069,423 | $452,214,496 | $370,304,342 | $405,933,980 |
| Net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Without donor restrictions | $141,101,354 | $118,964,414 | $108,327,526 | $113,541,627 | $90,677,487 |
| With donor restrictions | $470,166,857 | $439,455,659 | $409,245,096 | $387,523,158 | $304,694,247 |
| Net assets | $611,268,211 | $558,420,073 | $517,572,622 | $501,064,785 | $395,371,734 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Total contributions | $62,588,453 | $31,030,865 | $24,943,191 | $123,203,931 | $35,333,858 |
| Program service revenue | $277,174,144 | $250,489,641 | $234,566,489 | $226,772,203 | $217,251,460 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $31,403,989 | $18,739,993 | $22,253,756 | $17,123,131 | $28,029,269 |
| Other revenue | ($602,969) | ($603,920) | ($210,820) | ($397,018) | ($289,295) |
| Total other revenue | $307,975,164 | $268,625,714 | $256,609,425 | $243,498,316 | $244,991,434 |
| Total revenue | $370,563,617 | $299,656,579 | $281,552,616 | $366,702,247 | $280,325,292 |
| Expenses | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Program services | $290,236,154 | $264,295,643 | $240,802,686 | $226,091,188 | $210,096,151 |
| Management and general | $33,757,126 | $27,639,249 | $26,155,528 | $27,555,065 | $26,917,076 |
| Fundraising | $4,221,659 | $4,645,332 | $3,921,519 | $3,477,781 | $3,154,162 |
| Total expenses | $328,214,939 | $296,580,224 | $270,879,733 | $257,124,034 | $240,167,389 |
| Change in net assets | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $42,348,678 | $3,076,355 | $10,672,883 | $109,578,213 | $40,157,903 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $42,348,678 | $3,076,355 | $10,672,883 | $109,578,213 | $40,157,903 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Beck A Taylor | President | $750,671 |
| Henry Bucky W McMillan | Head Coach, Basketball (term 4/30/2025) | $675,067 |
| Ryan B Hudson | Dean, Cumberland School of Law | $366,436 |
| Colin M Coyne | Vice President for Finance, Business Affairs and Strategy | $351,167 |
| James Michael Hardin | FORMER OFFICER | $348,111 |
| Charles Martin Newton Jr | Director of Athletics | $343,769 |
| Elizabeth B Holloway | Vice President for Advancement and Marketing | $338,536 |
| Christopher M Hatcher | Head Coach, Football | $323,347 |
| Michael A Crouch | FORMER KEY EMPLOYEE | $316,909 |
| James Finch | Professor | $314,897 |
| Jason E Black | Vice President for Enrollment Management | $313,877 |
| R Philip Kimrey | Vice President for Student Affairs | $311,522 |
| Joseph Jody H Hunt | General Counsel and Vice President for Government Affairs | $284,588 |
| Lisa C Imbragulio | Chief Investment Officer | $270,090 |
| David Cimbora | Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (effective 7/1/2024) | $209,077 |
Compensation data as of: 6/30/2025
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 7/6/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Chartered as Howard College in 1841, Samford University has become one of the region's top universities and is now home to more than 5,000 students. The school survived two fires, the Civil War, a century of financial turmoil and two relocations to become one of the premier nationally ranked Christian universities. From its meager beginnings in Marion, Alabama, with only 31 students, Samford is now home to approximately 5,700 students on a beautiful Georgian-Colonial style campus in Homewood, Alabama.
Program accomplishments
Samford is the top-ranked university in Alabama in national rankings published by The Wall Street Journal. Additionally, The Wall Street Journal ranks Samford first in the nation for student engagement and tenth in the nation for career preparation. 97% Undergraduate Alumni Working or in Further Study Within Six Months