Salisbury University is a public institution offering graduate degrees based in Salisbury, Maryland. It enrolls 6,057 students (a large 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.
AccreditorMiddle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar4-1-4 Plan
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.
Strong
73/100
UCD Score · 4-Year Selective
Outcomes66
Value74
Affordability47
Selectivity49
Admissions & Acceptance Rate
With an acceptance rate of 87.5%, Salisbury University is broadly accessible to qualified applicants.
Acceptance Rate
87.5%
Easy
SAT Range (25th–75th)
1180 – 1320
Reading + Math combined
ACT Range (25th–75th)
20 – 29
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 Salisbury University is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.
Becoming less selective ↑
15.1 pts
since 2019
Cost & Financial Aid
The real cost of attending Salisbury University 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 $17,743 per year. That's below the typical net price for public colleges nationally.
Average Net Price
$17,743
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
26%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
39%
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 (in-state)
$11,084
Tuition & Fees (out-of-state)
$22,174
Room & Board (on-campus)
$13,900
Room & Board (off-campus)
$13,900
Books & Supplies
$1,300
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$4,188
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$4,188
Total Cost of Attendance
$28,310
Application fee: $50 (one-time, due at submission)
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
$6,743
$30,001 – $48,000
$9,915
$48,001 – $75,000
$12,909
$75,001 – $110,000
$16,669
Over $110,000
$22,759
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.
$3,75010%percentile
$7,50025%percentile
$21,000Medianpercentile
$25,00075%percentile
$30,75090%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 $17,750
↓ $3,250
No Pell $15,000
↓ $6,000
Dependent students $15,500
↓ $5,500
Independent students $18,750
↓ $2,250
Female students $16,920
↓ $4,080
Male students $15,000
↓ $6,000
Worth knowing:
Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $6,706, less than completers ($21,000), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.
Graduation Rate & Retention
69% of full-time students who enrolled at Salisbury University graduate within six years, and 79% return for their second year, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
6-Year Graduation Rate
69%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
79%
Returning for their second year
After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes
According to College Scorecard 2023-24 data, students who entered Salisbury University earn a median of $61,515 ten years after first enrolling. That's above the national median for U.S. colleges.
Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$61,515
Earning > $25K
84%
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 Gender
Female graduates
$50,300
Median earnings for female grads ten years after first enrolling here.
Male graduates
$59,300
Median earnings for male grads ten years after first enrolling here.
By Family Income at Entry
Family income (lowest third)
$48,400
Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (middle third)
$51,200
Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.
Family income (highest third)
$57,100
Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.
The gender gap:
Male graduates earn $9,000, about 15% more than female graduates ten years out. The gap reflects industry mix, role choice, and structural pay differences that exist across most US colleges.
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 ↑
13.1 pts
across 6 years
What this signals:
Excellent. 86% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.
Who Studies Here
Salisbury University is home to 6,057 students, a large student community.
Total Enrolled
6,057
Part-Time
4%
First-Generation
29%
Race & Ethnicity Breakdown
Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.
GroupShareStudents
White 69.6%4,217
Black 12.6%765
Hispanic 7.7%467
Other 5.3%323
Asian 2.6%160
International 0.7%40
Student Life & Campus Culture
Where students live, learn, and connect at Salisbury University. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.
Setting
Small SuburbSalisbury, Maryland
Housing
Partly residential2,279 beds available
Adult Learners
7%of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAAathletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
4-1-4 Planscheduling structure
What You Can Study
Salisbury University offers
an extensive catalog of programs:
59 distinct programs across
22 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 Salisbury University is 13:1, close to the national average.
Student : Faculty
13:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$12,097
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$105M
Solid financial position
Avg Faculty Salary
$91,441
9-month equivalent across all ranks
Faculty by Rank
417 instructional faculty across 5 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
112
27%
$105,372
Associate Professors
128
31%
$88,441
Assistant Professors
87
21%
$81,813
Instructors
5
1%
$71,256
Lecturers
85
20%
$61,705
Pros & Cons of Salisbury University
A quick at-a-glance summary of how Salisbury University 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
Reasonable class sizes
Above-average graduation rate
Solid post-graduation earnings
CONS
No clear weaknesses in the data.
Best for:
Based on the data, Salisbury University is a fit for
students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier.
Frequently Asked Questions about Salisbury University
Quick answers to the questions most students and parents ask. Every answer below is calculated from verified government data about Salisbury University.
Is Salisbury University hard to get into?
Salisbury University has open or near-open admissions. Most qualified applicants are accepted. Acceptance rate: 87.5%.
What is the acceptance rate at Salisbury University?
Salisbury University has an acceptance rate of 87.5%, according to College Scorecard 2023-24 admissions data.
What SAT score do you need for Salisbury University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Salisbury University scored between 1180 and 1320 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 Salisbury University?
The middle 50% of admitted students at Salisbury University scored between 20 and 29 on the ACT composite. Scores in the upper half of that range strengthen an application. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
How much does Salisbury University cost?
The average net price after aid at Salisbury University is $17,743 per year, this is what students typically pay after grants and scholarships are applied. Net price data: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Salisbury University worth it?
Solid return on investment. Graduates earn a median of $61,515 ten years after entering, against an average net price of $17,743 per year. That's roughly 3.5x earnings-to-cost. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Salisbury University known for?
Salisbury University is best known for its programs in Social Work, Teacher Education (K-12), Psychology. These are the most popular fields by completed degrees, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
What do Salisbury University graduates earn?
Median earnings 10 years after entering Salisbury University are $61,515, based on College Scorecard 2023-24 federal earnings data for Title IV recipients.
Is Salisbury University accredited?
Yes. Salisbury University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Salisbury University?
Salisbury University enrolls 6,057 students, per IPEDS 2023-24 fall enrollment data.
What is the graduation rate at Salisbury University?
Salisbury University graduates 69% of full-time students within six years, per IPEDS 2023-24 completion data.
Is Salisbury University a public or private college?
Salisbury University is a Public institution.
Where is Salisbury University located?
Salisbury University is located in Salisbury, Maryland.
What programs does Salisbury University offer?
Salisbury University offers 59 distinct programs. The most popular include Social Work, Teacher Education (K-12), Psychology.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Salisbury University?
The student-to-faculty ratio at Salisbury University is 13:1, per IPEDS 2023-24 data.
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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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Across 1,645 four-year colleges, graduation rates climb steadily with selectivity, from 54% at open-admission schools to 93% at the most exclusive. The gap is real.
Graduation rate
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Completion
College outcomes
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Rankings That Feature Salisbury University
Salisbury University appears in these rankings, built from the same federal data and the UCD Score.
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