Samford University again ranks as one of the top institutions in the South in the annual U.S. News & World Report rankings of America’s Best Colleges.

Samford is fifth in the South in the Best Universities-Master’s category, which includes schools offering a full range of undergraduate and master’s programs and some doctoral programs. Samford offers 23 degree programs including 15 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.

Samford has been ranked in the top seven schools in its category for 15 consecutive years.

Rankings were announced Friday, Aug. 20. U.S. News ranks the schools in four categories--Best National-Doctoral, Best Universities-Master's, Best Liberal Arts Colleges-Bachelor's and Best Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelor's. The Best Universities-Master's category is the largest (572 schools) and is divided into four geographic regions.

Samford enrolls more than 4,400 students from 44 states and foreign students from 33 countries.