Salem State University

Salem, MA · Public

Visit Website →
95.6%
Acceptance Rate
1090
Median SAT
$56,662
Median Earnings
4,852
Applicants

Acceptance Rate Trend

Up 10.9 percentage points since 2018

Applications & Admissions

Yield Rate Trend

Percentage of admitted students who enroll

Most Popular Majors (2023)

Degrees awarded in latest year

Major Popularity Over Time

How top majors have grown or declined

Earnings by Major

This school vs. national range (2yr after graduation)

Registered Nursing, Nursing Ad... $69,261
$7,727 $155,297
Computer and Information Scien... $67,660
$7,727 $155,297
Chemistry $45,696
$7,727 $155,297
Business Administration, Manag... $43,328
$7,727 $155,297
Biology, General $41,308
$7,727 $155,297
Mathematics $38,289
$7,727 $155,297
Social Work $37,110
$7,727 $155,297
Criminal Justice and Correctio... $36,282
$7,727 $155,297
This school National avg

Historical Admissions Data

Each row shows the admissions cycle for that academic year. Applicants is the total number of students who applied for freshman admission. Admitted shows how many received acceptance letters. Rate is the acceptance rate (admitted ÷ applicants) — lower percentages indicate more selective schools. Yield measures the percentage of admitted students who actually enrolled — a high yield (above 50%) suggests the school is a top choice for admitted students, while lower yields indicate students often choose other options. SAT shows the 25th-75th percentile range, meaning the middle 50% of enrolled students scored within this range. Data is sourced from IPEDS, the federal database where all US colleges report annually.

Year Applicants Admitted Rate Yield
2023 4,852 4,637 95.6% 17.5%
2022 5,093 4,719 92.7% 18.3%
2021 6,287 5,659 90.0% 16.6%
2020 6,557 5,688 86.8% 17.5%
2019 5,825 4,985 85.6% 20.3%
2018 6,562 5,558 84.7% 20.0%
2017 6,185 5,066 81.9% 21.6%
2016 6,139 4,517 73.6% 25.4%
2015 5,164 3,868 74.9% 28.3%

Graduate Outcomes

Median Earnings (10 years)
$56,662
Median Earnings (6 years)
$48,209
Median Debt
$25,000
6-Year Graduation Rate
55.0%

Tuition & Costs (2023)

In-State Tuition
$910
Out-of-State Tuition
$7,050
Fees
$10,765
Room & Board
$14,590
Total Cost of Attendance
$32,405

What You'll Actually Pay

Net price after grants/scholarships by family income

$0-30k income $13,384
$30-48k income $14,747
$48-75k income $17,712
$75-110k income $21,398
$110k+ income $24,642

Popular Majors

  • 1 Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
  • 2 Psychology, General
  • 3 Criminal Justice and Corrections
  • 4 Biology, General
  • 5 Marketing

Highest Earning Majors

  • Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing $69,261
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General $67,660
  • Chemistry $45,696
  • Business Administration, Management and Operations $43,328
  • Biology, General $41,308

Student Demographics (2023)

Total Enrollment 6,239
International 3%
Women 67%
Race/Ethnicity
White 57%
Hispanic 22%
Black 8%
Asian 3%

Financial Aid (2023)

Grants are free money; loans must be repaid

Receive Grants 71%
Avg: $8,277 free money/year
Pell Grant Recipients 35%
Federal aid for <$60k income families
Have Federal Loans 57%
Avg: $6,681
School's Own Grants 98%
Avg: $3,543 from school funds