Salem, MA · Public · 4,291 undergraduates · suburban
Salem State University
Less selective
Its North Shore location lets students pair a public-university education with direct access to Salem's civic, cultural, tourism, and health-care economy.
Institutional profile
Established Solid in career outcomes, and solid in affordability.- Admission
- 95.6% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 62%
4,852 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$56,662 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets Salem State University apart
Academic design
Programs are organized across arts and sciences, business, health and human services, and education, with internships and applied learning tied closely to the region.
Campus pattern
Students study in historic Salem near Boston, with a mix of residential and commuter life and access to coastal communities, schools, hospitals, and employers.
Defining feature
Its North Shore location lets students pair a public-university education with direct access to Salem's civic, cultural, tourism, and health-care economy.
Can I get in?
95.6% admitted
Start with academic preparation, then show why this particular academic and campus environment fits you.
Recent applicant pool
4,852About 96 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 6% submitted an SAT. Scores were rare in this class, so the SAT range says more about who volunteered one than about who was admitted.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for Salem State University, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What Salem State University weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Programs are organized across arts and sciences, business, health and human services, and education, with internships and applied learning tied closely to the region.
Make the fit specific
Its North Shore location lets students pair a public-university education with direct access to Salem's civic, cultural, tourism, and health-care economy.
Account for the tradeoff
Keep academic direction and school-specific choices coherent across the application.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and make the school-specific case concrete.
Fee waiver: accepted
Major and program admission
Some fields have their own entry path.
The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.
Teacher preparationAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
NursingAdmits separately
What this program asks for, and when it closes.
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at Salem State University
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
Its North Shore location lets students pair a public-university education with direct access to Salem's civic, cultural, tourism, and health-care economy.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing
Admits separately
Psychology, General
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods
Admits separately
Biology, General
What is campus life like?
Salem State University beyond the classroom
Students study in historic Salem near Boston, with a mix of residential and commuter life and access to coastal communities, schools, hospitals, and employers.
A defining academic feature
Programs are organized across arts and sciences, business, health and human services, and education, with internships and applied learning tied closely to the region.
What shapes an ordinary week
Students study in historic Salem near Boston, with a mix of residential and commuter life and access to coastal communities, schools, hospitals, and employers.
What changes the experience
Its North Shore location lets students pair a public-university education with direct access to Salem's civic, cultural, tourism, and health-care economy.