Salem College is a private nonprofit institution offering graduate degrees based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It enrolls 423 students (a very small, intimate student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Below you'll find verified data on admissions, cost, student outcomes, programs offered, and what graduates typically earn, all pulled from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard and IPEDS.
AccreditorSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
Academic CalendarSemester
How It Measures Up
US College Data scores each college on four pillars (outcomes, value, affordability, and selectivity) on a 0–100 scale, ranked within its peer group (4-Year Selective). Scores are calculated from verified College Scorecard and IPEDS data, not opinion or paid placement. Where data is missing, that pillar isn't scored.
Good
61/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes36
Value40
Affordability74
Selectivity32
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 76.7%, Salem College is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
76.7%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1066 – 1243
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
16 – 22
Cumulative composite
Test PolicyNot ConsideredStandardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.
5-Year Admission Trend
Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Salem College is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
7.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Salem College isn't the sticker price. It's the net price,which is what most students actually pay after grants and scholarships. According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, the average net price is $18,277 per year. That's below the typical net price for private nonprofit colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$18,277
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
55%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
45%
Borrowing to attend
Full Cost Breakdown
Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.
Tuition & Fees
$33,848
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,710
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,850
Books & Supplies
$1,250
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$6,450
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$3,378
Total Cost of Attendance
$48,532
Net Price by Family Income
Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.
Under $30,000
$19,074
$30,001 – $48,000
$16,001
$48,001 – $75,000
$16,147
$75,001 – $110,000
$19,940
Over $110,000
$24,027
Debt at Graduation
Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.
$5,20010%percentile
$9,45025%percentile
$26,649Medianpercentile
$29,23075%percentile
$41,08290%percentile
Median Debt by Student Type
Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.
GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $18,926
↓ $7,723
No Pell $20,000
↓ $6,649
Dependent students $19,397
↓ $7,252
Independent students $22,512
↓ $4,137
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $5,741, less than completers ($26,649), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
54% of full-time students who enrolled at Salem College graduate within six years, and 67% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
54%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
67%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Salem College earn a median of $44,640 ten years after first enrolling. That's close to the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$44,640
Earning > $25K
72%
10 yrs after entry
Earnings Growth After Graduation
Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.
Earnings by Demographic
Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$34,000
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$37,700
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$40,800
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
Loan Repayment Progression
Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.
Climbing: graduates increasingly paying down debt ↑
7.4 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Moderate. Only 68% of graduates are paying down principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Salem College is home to 423 students, an intimate, close-knit community. Some distinctive traits: 33% are first-generation college students.
Total Enrolled
423
Part-Time
6%
First-Generation
33%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 48.9%207
Hispanic 19.9%84
Black 19.4%82
Other 3.8%16
International 3.8%16
Asian 2.4%10
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Salem College. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Large CityWinston-Salem, North Carolina
Housing
Strongly residential320 beds for 423 students
Adult Learners
14%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semesterscheduling structure
Designation
Women's college
What You Can Study
Salem College offers
a varied set of programs:
32 distinct programs across
17 majors.
Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings.
Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.
The student-to-faculty ratio at Salem College is 7:1, low (small classes, more faculty contact).
Student : Faculty
7:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Endowment
$86M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$61,085
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
37 instructional faculty across 3 ranks.
The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.
Rank
Faculty Count
Share
Avg Salary
Full Professors
7
19%
$78,588
Associate Professors
20
54%
$57,107
Assistant Professors
10
27%
$56,790
Pros & Cons of Salem College
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Salem College tends to stack up for prospective students,weighing its data, size, setting, and cost profile together.
PROS
Below-average net price
Accessible admissions for most applicants
Small classes (low student-faculty ratio)
Tight-knit, close community feel
Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
Below-average completion rate
First-year retention is below typical
Best for:
Based on the data, Salem College is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.
Frequently Asked Questions about Salem College
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Salem College.
Is Salem College hard to get into?
Salem College has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 76.7%.
What is the acceptance rate at Salem College?
Salem College has an acceptance rate of 76.7%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Salem College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Salem College scored between 1066 and 1243 on the SAT (Reading + Math combined). Scores at the higher end of that range improve admissions odds materially. Per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
What ACT score do you need for Salem College?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Salem College scored between 16 and 22 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Salem College cost?
The average net price after aid at Salem College is $18,277 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Salem College worth it?
Moderate return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $44,640 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $18,277 per year. That's roughly 2.4x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Salem College known for?
Salem College is best known for its programs in Counseling Education, Business Administration, Design. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Salem College graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Salem College are $44,640, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Salem College accredited?
Yes. Salem College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
How many students attend Salem College?
Salem College enrolls 423 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Salem College?
Salem College graduates 54% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Salem College a public or private college?
Salem College is a Private Nonprofit institution.
Where is Salem College located?
Salem College is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
What programs does Salem College offer?
Salem College offers 32 distinct programs. The most popular include Counseling Education, Business Administration, Design.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Salem College?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Salem College is 7:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
Related Colleges in North Carolina
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Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
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