Samford University has been ranked as one of the top institutions in the nation by U. S. News & World Report magazine in its 2003 selection of America's Best Colleges.

Samford ranks fifth in the South in the category, Universities-Master's, which includes schools offering a full range of undergraduate and master's programs and some doctoral programs. Samford offers 26 degree programs including 18 at the master's and doctoral levels.

U. S. News & World Report rankings are based on a school's academic reputation, freshman retention rates, faculty resources, class size, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

The rankings were announced Thursday, Sept. 12. In addition to the Universities-Master's category (the largest group), U. S. News & World Report ranks Universities-Doctoral, Liberal Arts Colleges-Bachelor's and Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor's. Schools are divided into groups reflecting their missions--basically, programs they offer--as described by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Samford has been ranked in the top 10 in its category by U. S. News & World Report since 1990.