Samford University’s Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC) Department has earned impressive honors in a new ranking of national journalism education programs for 2016. The College Factual website recognized the program as the top journalism program in Alabama, a top-50 "best value" in journalism education in the U.S., one of the top 15 programs in the South and 56th overall out of the 182 colleges included in the report. The site provides rankings and other customized information to help students find the college most likely to lead to their future success.

“Samford JMC aims to be the best JMC program at a private school in the country,” said department chair Bernie Ankney. “College Factual found that Samford is a great value in journalism education, and it is one of the top journalism programs in the South.”

Ankney noted that the College Factual rankings consider the average salary of alumni in its rankings. He said that tends to hurt Samford in the rankings because the cost of living in Birmingham is much lower than New York or Los Angeles, with obvious implications for salaries. “Samford still ranked ahead of some of the best JMC programs in the country,” Ankney said.

Ankney said the College Factual honor comes at a time of exciting growth in the department. A new sports media minor added this year reflects strong projected demand for that professional specialty in the next decade. “Samford JMC also put in place a new curriculum last year that I would match up against any program in the country,” Ankney said. “The new curriculum will give students the skills to compete for any job in print journalism, broadcast journalism, public relations and advertising."