Salem State University, in Salem, Massachusetts, is a public university with enough data to do just that: read it carefully, without dressing it up and without scaring you. You are going to understand what kind of school it is, how people get in, how much it really costs, and what happens to those who are already there. You will not finish knowing whether it is the right school for your child. No article can tell you that. But you will finish knowing how to approach it.
What Kind of University It Is, and Where It Is Located
Let us start with the basics, because the basics organize everything else.
Salem State is a public four-year institution. The federal system that classifies colleges in this country (Carnegie) records it as a master's institution with large graduate programs, and in its most recent profile based on institutional data, describes it as a medium-sized, primarily residential school: at the time of that measurement, between 25 and 49 out of every 100 degree-seeking undergraduate students lived in institution-owned, institution-controlled, or institution-affiliated housing, and at least half studied full time.
It also appears, in another part of that same classification, among universities that enroll many transfer students. If your child is thinking about coming here after studying at another institution, this is a useful signal, but not a promise: ask in writing which courses will count and which will not. A classification label does not tell you how many credits an actual student brings in or how many are lost along the way.
Carnegie places Salem State in a category it calls "inclusive" — the same category that includes both schools that did not report admission scores and schools whose scores indicated broad access. The label does not distinguish which of the two applies here, so do not build a conclusion about selectivity from it alone: later you will see the direct figure.
Geographically, Salem State is in the city of Salem, in Essex County, within the Boston-Cambridge-Newton metropolitan area. That does not mean the campus is in downtown Boston. The census code places it in a suburb: inside the urbanized area, but outside the principal city. What living there feels like is something you can only learn by going. If your child is thinking about living at home and driving every day, do yourself a favor: travel the route on a weekday, at the actual time of your child's classes. The time on the map is almost never the actual time.
One note that sometimes causes confusion and is worth clarifying at the outset: Salem State does not have any of these three special federal designations — it is not a historically Black college or university (HBCU), it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Of the 3,012 universities in this national directory, 138 have at least one of the three. Salem State's absence from that list says nothing about which communities it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly which cultural centers and student organizations exist today.
The Community's Actual Size
In the official fall count, Salem State had 6,239 enrolled students. It is neither a small school nor an enormous one — it falls squarely within the band between 5,000 and 9,999, one of the most common among its peers.
But that total number hides something important: it is divided into 4,853 undergraduate and 1,386 graduate students. A large part of this community has already completed a degree and returned for more. If your child is entering as an undergraduate, the number that truly matters is not 6,239. It is 4,853.
Among undergraduates, 24 out of every 100 students were reported as Hispanic or Latino in the fall of 2023. Compared with 519 selective-admission public four-year schools in this same national census, that places Salem State in the top quarter: three out of four similar schools reported an equal or lower share. It is not a majority, but neither is it unusual. Still, this comparison does not account for the part of the country where each school is located, and that matters here: it does not reach the level of a specific major; it covers the entire school.
There are also more women than men — 64 out of every 100 — and adult students, ages 25 to 64, are a minority: 13 out of every 100. As for where new students came from, that information simply is not reported for this cycle. It is not estimated or invented.
How the Academic Year Works, and What It Accepts as Prior Credit
Salem State organizes its year by semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. Consistent dates for everyone, nothing unusual here.
The institution stated that it accepts credit for AP exams and also what IPEDS calls credit for life experience — learning from independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, prior licenses, or military or government opportunities. It also reports accepting credit for military training, and it enrolls high school students in college courses for credit through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the part that truly matters for your wallet: the fact that the school reports these two pathways does not mean it will automatically recognize your child's credits. It does not say what AP score is required, how many credits are awarded, or whether those credits count toward the specific major that interests your child. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until they are confirmed.
As for academic offerings: between July of 2022 and June of 2023, Salem State awarded 1,140 bachelor's degrees across 20 academic program families. The family that awarded the most degrees was health professions, with 21 out of every 100 degrees that year — the largest, but no family accounted for 30 out of every 100 or more. Its offerings are broad, not concentrated in a single field. Even so, 20 families represented in the report are not 20 exact majors and do not guarantee that the major that interests your child is available with the strength your child needs. Verify the exact program.
Regarding class size: the official ratio is 11 students for each instructional staff member, in full-time-equivalent terms. Compared with 519 similar schools, that places it in the bottom quarter — a low aggregate ratio. But be careful: this figure does not tell you the actual size of a first-year class. It is an institutional average, not a promise about the classroom where your child will sit.
The institution also reports structured academic opportunities: study abroad and several pathways related to teacher certification, including state approval of the program for initial teacher certification.
Getting Into Salem State: What It Requires, and What Actually Happens
This is where many families become tense unnecessarily. Let us take it slowly.
Salem State does not have open admission — it does review application components before saying yes. Of nine possible considerations that IPEDS asks about, it marked four as required: the high school record, high school GPA, completion of the college-preparatory program required by the university, and an English proficiency exam for applicants to whom it applies. The essay and letters of recommendation are marked as not considered in the admission decision.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, this applies directly to you: ask today whether your child must take the English proficiency exam and what would qualify for an exemption. This is one of those things families discover late if they do not ask in time.
Now for the figure that truly changes the conversation: in the 2023 report, Salem State received 4,852 first-time applications and offered admission to 4,637. That is 96 out of every 100 applicants admitted. Compared with 519 selective public schools in this census, it is among those that admit the most — at least nine out of ten similar schools admitted an equal or lower percentage.
To put it plainly: applicants almost always get in here. Your child's energy is better spent completing the application carefully and meeting the deadlines than worrying about competing for a spot.
But — and this matters just as much as the previous figure — an open door does not tell you whether the school is affordable or whether most students complete their degrees. Before deciding, you need to look at net price and the graduation rate. Those two calculations carry more weight than admission, and you will see them shortly.
Something interesting happens after admission: out of every 100 admitted students, only 17 ultimately enrolled in the fall. The other 83 had an offer in hand and did not accept it. That is in the middle of the distribution among similar schools — neither high nor low. Do not read it as a mark against the school: the federal record does not say why each person made that choice, and what others decided does not predict what your family will be offered. What you do need to do is wait for your own letter with the actual net price before removing this school from your list or keeping it there.
Regarding standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds just the same. Only 6 out of every 100 enrolled students submitted SAT scores, and among those students, the middle half scored between 510 and 590 in reading and writing, and between 480 and 570 in mathematics. Those ranges describe students who enrolled and submitted scores — they are not a minimum for admission or a guarantee of anything.
And regarding transfers: in the fall of 2023, 349 undergraduate students arrived from another institution. It is a count of people, not a rate, and it goes hand in hand with the school's size — compared with its peers, it falls in the lower half. How many credits were recognized for those students is a separate question, and one to ask the admission office directly.
Money: What It Costs on Paper, and What Is Actually Paid
At Salem State University, among 186 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or in-district rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $13,384. Among 106 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $17,712; among 174 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $24,642. For dependent students, the band combines their parents' income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (186 students) and the highest-income band (174 students) is $11,258. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $19,324.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this figure with the same period coverage, Salem State falls in the most expensive quarter for the lowest-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you need to ask for the aid letter before deciding.
The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at this public institution, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships; it also uses that rate. If your family lives outside the state or district, the calculation is different. Ask about it before applying.
The Aid That Arrives, and the Debt That Is Signed
Out of every 100 degree-seeking students at Salem State, 78 received a grant or other aid that does not have to be repaid, with an average of $8,277 per year among those who received it. And 39 out of every 100 received a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
Here is a clarification worth its weight in gold: the percentage (78 out of every 100) and the average ($8,277) do not describe the same group. The percentage is calculated across all students; the average, only across those who actually received something. Do not multiply them together — it is a common mistake.
Now for the loan portion, which deserves to be stated plainly: 57 out of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the 2022-23 school year, averaging $6,681 per student that year. Compared with 519 similar schools, this places Salem State on the high side — seven out of ten similar schools had an equal or lower share of students taking on debt.
Here, financing with debt is common, not the exception. If your child borrowed a similar amount in each of four years, the total would be around $26,724, not counting interest — and that calculation should be made before the first signature, not afterward. In addition, this average includes only federal loans in the student's name: it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, debt with banks, or credit cards. Nor is it the total debt someone has upon graduation — that would require adding all four years, and that number is not in this report.
This percentage describes other families, not yours. The amount your child would have to borrow comes from your child's own financial aid letter. Wait for that letter before committing to the school.
Salem State also reports an installment tuition payment plan as an available way to manage the cost.
Campus Life: Housing, Sports, and What Is Available
Salem State does have its own housing — but it is not required for all first-time, full-time students. The maximum reported capacity is 1,675 students. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The existence of housing does not guarantee an available bed: ask in writing for this year's price, the application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a place or placed on a waiting list.
For ROTC, the school marked two branches as available: Army and Air Force. Navy was not marked. Its appearance in the report does not mean that your child has been accepted or that the program is taught on this exact campus — ask directly before building a plan around it.
In sports, Salem State competes at the intercollegiate level and is affiliated with the NCAA, with membership reported specifically for basketball and baseball. The affiliation belongs to the school, not to your child: if your child is interested in playing, write directly to the coach for that sport and ask about roster availability, division, and athletic scholarships.
Regarding distance education: Salem State offers it at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but only 7 out of every 100 undergraduate students take all their classes at a distance. The other 93 take at least one class in person. The school also reports having at least one complete program that can be taken entirely at a distance — but that does not mean the program is at the bachelor's level or that it is the major that interests your child. Confirm it by name.
The library operates with paid staff and reports annual expenditures above $100,000, a physical and digital collection, and interlibrary lending. The institution also reports several support services: combined academic and career counseling, employment services, dedicated support for veterans and their families, and a published webpage for services for students with disabilities. The fact that these services exist and are reported does not say how accessible or effective they are for a particular student — ask directly, using the service's specific name.
Who Stays, and Who Graduates
This is perhaps the section most worth reading slowly.
From the cohort that entered in the fall of 2022 (858 first-time, full-time, bachelor's-degree-seeking students), 632 were still enrolled or had already graduated one year later: 74 out of every 100. Compared with 519 similar schools, this falls slightly below the midpoint of the group. This number does not separate how many were still enrolled from how many had already graduated, and it does not explain what happened to the rest — not returning is not the same as dropping out; someone who transferred and is continuing to study elsewhere is different from someone who left school, and the source does not distinguish between the two.
Regarding graduation: of the 1,082 students who began bachelor's-degree studies in 2017, 595 had graduated from Salem State within six years — 55 out of every 100. At four years, the figure falls to 41 out of every 100, fourteen points lower. Compared with 518 similar schools, half the group or more reported the same or a lower proportion.
There is something I want to tell you very clearly because it is easy to misinterpret: this rate does not fully reconstruct what happened to everyone else in the cohort. A blank space in the report does not mean zero, and it does not authorize anyone to assume that a student dropped out, transferred, or paused. The calculation follows only those who entered for the first time and full time — if your child arrives as a transfer student or starts part time, this specific figure does not describe your child.
There is a third, broader measure that looks eight years ahead: from a cohort of 2,275 students who entered between July of 2015 and June of 2016 (including full-time and part-time students, both first-time students and those with prior experience), 62 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from Salem State by the August 2023 reporting date. Among those who received a Pell Grant, the figure was nearly identical: 61 out of every 100. Compared with its peers, this institution is at or above the midpoint of the group.
But one piece does not entirely add up, and I would rather tell you exactly that: the report indicates that 19 out of every 100 were still without a credential and "enrolled" at the reporting date, although the definition of that count combines different points in time — it does not allow us to state precisely how many were still enrolled on that exact date, and it also does not rule out that some had already graduated from another institution. Another 20 out of every 100 (447 exact people) appear with an "unknown" enrollment status — which means the report simply could not determine where they were, not that they had stopped studying.
None of these three figures — retention, graduation within four or six years, or the eight-year outcome — tells you what will happen to your child specifically. They are averages across thousands of different stories. What you can do with them is ask the university itself what concrete support is available to sustain a student during those years, and request the most recent data it has available.
Putting the Pieces Together
Now you know in detail one of the three pieces you need to decide: who Salem State University is, how easy it is to get in, how much it costs on paper and how much it really costs, and what happens to students who are already there.
You still need to combine this with what your child wants to study and what your child has already built in high school. And you need to combine it with what your family can pay and is willing to commit, something you can know with certainty only when the financial aid letter arrives with the actual number, not someone else's average.
From that combination — the university, your child, and your family — a plan emerges. This article has given you the first piece with as much clarity as the data allow. The other two are up to you.
Source note: The information in this article comes from IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) and the United States Department of Education, primarily from reports corresponding to 2022-23 and 2023-24, with Carnegie classifications based on data from 2019-20 and 2021. Best College Aid does not represent Salem State University or any government agency; this article organizes and explains public data and does not replace official or personalized information that the university itself can provide.