Salem State University

www.salemstate.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$910

2024 Average Net Price

$17,541

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

95.9%

7,953 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

6,230

68.6% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

49.8%

546 Graduates

About

Salem State University is a higher education institution located in Essex County, MA. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Salem State University were Registered Nursing (174 degrees awarded), General Psychology (97 degrees), and Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration (83 degrees).

In 2024, 1,659 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Salem State University. 73.5% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 26.5% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (1,088 degrees), 3.84 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (283 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Salem State University is $910, which is $−23,090 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Salem State University is $910, which is $23,090 less than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $17,541.

In 2024, 72% of undergraduate students attending Salem State University received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 49% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$910

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Salem State University was $910. The cost of tuition at Salem State University is $−23,090 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Salem State University (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$17,541

2024 Value

9.23%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Salem State University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $17,541. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Salem State University grew by 9.23%.

This chart compares the average net price of Salem State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$13,483

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Salem State University was of $13,483 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 5.58% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Salem State University (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

72%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

72% of undergraduate students at Salem State University received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a growth of 1.41% with respect to 2023, when 71% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Salem State University (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Salem State University received 7,953 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 63.9% annual growth. Out of those 7,953 applicants, 7,625 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 95.9% acceptance rate.

There were 6,230 students enrolled at Salem State University in 2024. 6% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Salem State University has an overall enrollment yield of 11.3%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

95.9%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

7,625

Accepted Out of 7,953

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Salem State University was 95.9% (7,625 admissions from 7,953 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 95.6%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants grew by 63.9%, while admissions grew by 64.4%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Salem State University (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

Submission Percentage (2023)

Scores Submitted (2023)

6% of enrolled first-time students at Salem State University in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Salem State University had a total enrollment of 6,230 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Salem State University is 4,271 students and the part-time enrollment is 1,959. This means that 68.6% of students enrolled at Salem State University are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Salem State University, both undergraduate and graduate, is 54.6% White, 23.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.87% Black or African American, 3.39% Two or More Races, 3.24% Asian, and 0.0803% American Indian or Alaska Native.

Students enrolled at Salem State University in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (33.8%), followed by White Male (20.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (15.8%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (55.4%), followed by White Male (15.3%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (11%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

68.6%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Salem State University in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 6,230 students. The full-time enrollment at Salem State University is 4,271 and the part-time enrollment is 1,959. This means that 68.6% of students enrolled at Salem State University are enrolled full-time compared with 67.1% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Salem State University (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

75%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Salem State University was 75%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Salem State University had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Salem State University (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
3,402 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
1,442 enrolled students
Black or African American
490 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Salem State University is 54.6% White, 23.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.87% Black or African American, 3.39% Two or More Races, 3.24% Asian, and 0.0803% American Indian or Alaska Native. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 47.4% White, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.6% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 232 students (3.72%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 779 more women than men received degrees from Salem State University. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Salem State University is white (1,088 degrees awarded). There were 3.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (283 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Salem State University is Registered Nursing (174 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (97 degrees) and Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration (83 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Salem State University, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Public Administration and Social Service (157 degrees awarded), Education (388 degrees), and History (37 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Elementary & middle school teachers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Salem State University are Elementary & middle school teachers (1,616,555 people), Secondary school teachers (575,749 people), Education administrators (316,856 people), Other managers (254,514 people), and Lawyers, & judges, magistrates, & other judicial workers (223,883 people).

The most specialized majors at Salem State University in 2024 are Public Administration and Social Service (157 degrees awarded), Education (388 degrees), History (37 degrees), English (53 degrees), and Protective Services (103 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Salem State University are Surgeons, Diagnostic medical sonographers, Magnetic resonance imaging technologists, Physicians, and Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists

The most specialized majors at Salem State University are Public Administration and Social Service (157 degrees awarded), Education (388 degrees), History (37 degrees), English (53 degrees), and Protective Services (103 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

Elementary & secondary schools

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Salem State University are Elementary & secondary schools (3,085,776 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (447,973 people), Justice, public order, & safety activities (425,067 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (244,555 people), and Legal services (202,621 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Salem State University.

Most Common (2024)

Registered Nursing
174 degrees awarded
General Psychology
97 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Administration
83 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Salem State University was Registered Nursing with 174 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Salem State University according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

440

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

1,219

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 440 degrees were awarded to men at Salem State University, which is 0.361 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,219).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Salem State University by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 39 degrees were awarded to men at Salem State University in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.39 times more than the 28 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 158 degrees were awarded to men at Salem State University in Registered Nursing, which is 9.88 times more than the 16 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

42%

100% Completion Time

55%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 42% of students graduating from Salem State University completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 55% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 57% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
1,088 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
283 degrees awarded
Black or African American
94 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Salem State University is white (1,088 degrees awarded). There were 3.84 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (283 degrees).

2.41% of degree recipients (40 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
1,128 degrees awarded
White Female
1,123 degrees awarded
White Female
1,112 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Salem State University is white female (1,128 degrees awarded). There were 1 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (1,123 degrees).

Operations

Salem State University has an endowment valued at nearly $69.6M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 10.8M (15.5%) compared to the 9.2% average return (4.22M on 45.9M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2024, Salem State University had a total salary expenditure of 194M. Salem State University employs 157 Professors, 69 Associate professors and 61 Assistant professors. Most academics at Salem State University are Female Professor (86), Male Professor (71), and Female Assistant professor (39).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Salem State University are: Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services, with 137 employees, Service, with 91 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 90 employees.

Endowment

$69.6M

2024 Endowment

63.2k%

growth from 2023

Salem State University has an endowment valued at about $69.6M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Salem State University grew 63.2k% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $23.7M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Salem State University (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Salary Expenditure

$94.6M

2024 Salaries

7.67%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Salem State University paid a median of $94.6M in salaries, which represents 48.7% of their overall expenditure ($194M) and a 7.67% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 1.98% decline between 2022 and 2023, and a 12.4% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$32M

Instructional Salaries

299

Number of Employees

In 2024, Salem State University paid a total of $32M to 299 employees working as instructors, which represents 33.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $965k (3.13%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Salem State University were Librarians, Curators, Archivists, and Academic Affairs and Other Education Services with 137 employees, Service with 91 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 90 employees.

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