Salem, Oregon Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Salem, Oregon: median public in-state tuition $39,166 (+587.1% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $57,764 (-2.8% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 90.6% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $12,000 (-11.1% vs U.S.) 9,303 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Salem serve students across Oregon with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 7 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 9,303 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $39,166. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Salem, Oregon and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Salem vs Oregon & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, Oregon | $39,166 | $20,718 | $12,000 | 61.0% | 9,303 |
| Oregon (state median) | $6,525 | $11,607 | $13,836 | 54.0% | 158,796 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Salem, Oregon vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, Oregon | $57,764 | 90.6% | 82.1% | 3.6% | — | 79.2% | 0.33 |
| Oregon (state median) | $64,090 | 92.1% | 79.5% | 3.7% | — | 76.2% | 0.32 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Other cities in Oregon (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, Oregon | $39,166 | $20,718 | $12,000 | 61.0% | 9,303 | $57,764 | 90.6% |
| Portland | $19,490 | $28,803 | $16,625 | 73.5% | 43,048 | $64,534 | 91.5% |
| Portland | $19,490 | $28,803 | $16,625 | 73.5% | 43,048 | $64,534 | 91.5% |
| Corvallis | $15,117 | $18,738 | $13,968 | 67.6% | 30,802 | $67,894 | 92.4% |
| Eugene | $17,188 | $19,129 | $18,897 | 40.9% | 27,134 | $62,899 | 92.6% |
| Bend | $9,733 | $15,213 | $11,463 | 54.4% | 4,979 | $67,894 | 92.4% |
| Klamath Falls | $9,408 | $14,798 | $18,916 | 45.6% | 4,022 | $78,398 | 92.8% |
| Grants Pass | $5,328 | $10,270 | $16,300 | N/A | 3,602 | N/A | N/A |
| Roseburg | $6,377 | $6,615 | $14,500 | N/A | 2,219 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 71.0%, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, Graduation Rate, 61.0%, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 91.3%, Corban University
Corban University
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Rank 2, Employment Outcome, 89.9%, Willamette University
Willamette University
Top 2 most selective colleges in Salem, Oregon (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 77.1%, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, Admission Rate, 93.9%, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $48,192, Corban University
Corban University
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $45,952, Willamette University
Willamette University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $100,650, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $60,719, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,697, Corban University
Corban University
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Rank 2, Mid-Career Earnings, $43,413, Willamette University
Willamette University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $52,945, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, 8-Yr Earnings, $49,384, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $62,275, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr Earnings, $53,254, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $134,882, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $79,630, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Salem, Oregon (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $25,908, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, Net Price, $32,913, Corban University
Corban University
Top 2 colleges in Salem, Oregon by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 86.5%, Willamette University
Willamette University
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Rank 2, First-Year Retention, 77.7%, Corban University
Corban University
In-state tuition: Salem, Oregon vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Salem, Oregon median in-state tuition is $39,166, +587.1% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Salem, Oregon vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Salem, Oregon is $12,000 (-11.1% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $11,888.
Median earnings (10 years out): Salem, Oregon vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Salem, Oregon center around $57,764 (-2.8% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Salem, Oregon vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 90.6% at the median Salem, Oregon campus (-2.4 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Salem, Oregon median public in-state tuition is $39,166, about +587.1% vs the national median. Versus the Far West region, tuition is +1092.6%.
Median graduate debt is $12,000 (-11.1% below the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Salem, Oregon are $57,764, about -2.8% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 90.6% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-2.4 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 82.1% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.6% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 79.2% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include Corban University (91.3%), Willamette University (89.9%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Salem, Oregon is 61.0% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Salem?
This city profile covers 7 campuses in Salem, Oregon with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Salem?
Median in-state tuition in Salem is $39,166 and median net price is $20,718. For Oregon overall, medians are $6,525 and $11,607; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Salem?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Salem is $57,764 vs $64,090 for Oregon and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Salem colleges?
Median completer debt in Salem is $12,000 vs $13,836 for Oregon and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Salem?
Top campuses on this page include Willamette University (graduation) and Willamette University (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Salem?
Among 7 campuses in Salem, Oregon, 2 campuses report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment in U.S. Department of Education data; examples include Chemeketa Community College and Johnny Matthew's Hairdressing Training School; 1 religiously affiliated private nonprofit campus (IPEDS RELAFFIL); most common affiliations: Baptist (1).
Sources & related
- Oregon college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
- Download: JSON