Salem College
Winston-Salem, NC 27101
About Salem College
Salem College is a private research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, enrolling about 423 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 76.67% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $44,640 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Salem College charges 15% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($33,848).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 4.9×.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 57.43%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $44,640.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Salem College is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 511% using Scorecard cost and 10-year earnings fields in this extract.
Interpretation: On this institution-wide model, typical graduate earnings over a decade substantially exceed estimated net education cost.
Limitation: ROI is institution-wide and not program-specific; individual outcomes vary by major, aid package, and labor market.
Cost benchmarks
| Benchmark | Median Tuition | Median Net Price | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem College | $33,848 | $18,277 | 1 |
| Private Non-profit (national median) | $29,325 | — | 1,444 |
| North Carolina (state median) | $6,906 | $6,820 | 133 |
| Urban (City) (locale median) | $15,200 | $20,053 | 1,346 |
| United States (national median) | $11,900 | $17,156 | — |
Compares this campus to school-type, state, and locale medians plus a U.S. national median (College Scorecard–derived). Locale groups campuses by NCES locale type; state tuition is the median published tuition among campuses in that state.
Average net price is 46% below published tuition at Salem College
Key findings
- Salem College's average net price ($18,277) is 46% below published tuition ($33,848).
- Salem College charges 15% above the national private non-profit median tuition ($33,848).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is about 4.9×.
Salem College tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $33,848
Finding Salem College charges 15% above the national private non-profit median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $33,848. That is 15% above the national private non-profit median ($29,325). Versus the North Carolina median ($6,906), sticker tuition is about 4.9×. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 2.8×.
Method Sticker tuition compared with Scorecard-derived medians by ownership, state, locale, and national rollups when available.
Interpretation Published tuition measures sticker price relative to private non-profit and geographic peers; it does not equal what undergraduates typically pay after aid.
Limitation Sticker comparisons omit room, board, and institutional aid; average net price and income-band net prices are the stronger signals of typical family cost.
Evidence: published tuition at Salem College versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Salem College versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Salem College is $18,277.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $18,277 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $11,456 above the North Carolina median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $1,776 below the locale median.
Method Average net price from College Scorecard; compared with state, locale, and U.S. medians from EDsmart aggregates.
Interpretation Average net price is a stronger institutional cost signal than published tuition because it incorporates grant aid.
Limitation The campus average masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average.
Key takeaway Salem College’s published tuition substantially overstates typical undergraduate cost: average net price is about 46% lower after grants and scholarships.
Salem College: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Salem College—costs, outcomes, admissions, and programs—with evidence and methodology notes.
Research findings
Interpretation
The combination of completion and 10-year earnings is a multidimensional outcomes signal; it does not measure educational quality by itself.
Financial profile
Annual tuition
$33,848
Avg. net price
$18,277
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $19,074 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $16,001 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $16,147 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $19,940 |
| $110,001+ | $24,027 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $135,392. See cost investigation.
Student outcomes
Share of first-year students returning the following fall.
Graduation rate and 10-year earnings are in the hero strip above; see Graduates for more.
What Salem College is known for
Top program completions
- Visual and Performing Arts, General12
- Education, General10
- Business Administration and Management, General10
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services9
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General8
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 9% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 1082
- Midpoint ACT: 19
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Salem College a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Salem College is a good school for those looking for strong completion alongside solid mid-career earnings.
EDsmart Data does not assign an opinion score; this framing summarizes the strongest Scorecard signals for this campus.
More from the data
Location, control, enrollment, and aid context for Salem College.
Campus
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
City / state
- ZIP
- 27101
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 9% below the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Private Non-profit
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields
Size
Enrollment
423
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 499
- Graduate
- 85
- Full-time share
- 94%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$26,649
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 55.20%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Salem College.
Financial Aid by Income Level
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Salem College was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Salem College in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $24,566 | $24,566 | $15,895 |
| 2014 | $25,356 | $25,356 | $14,669 |
| 2015 | $26,236 | $26,236 | $16,350 |
| 2016 | $27,406 | $27,406 | $16,504 |
| 2017 | $28,566 | $28,566 | $17,836 |
| 2018 | $29,166 | $29,166 | $17,576 |
| 2019 | $30,016 | $30,016 | $18,010 |
| 2020 | $31,016 | $31,016 | $18,339 |
| 2021 | $31,016 | $31,016 | $10,492 |
| 2022 | $31,016 | $31,016 | $16,717 |
| 2023 | $32,236 | $32,236 | $18,835 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
How difficult is it to get in?
Acceptance Rate
This institution has a moderate acceptance rate, accepting most qualified applicants.
Applicants → admits → first-time enrollment from College Scorecard / IPEDS. Bar widths are scaled for readability at highly selective schools.
Test Scores
Average 1082 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 19 (middle 50% not reported)
Scores for enrollees who submitted tests (College Scorecard).
Academic Requirements
Estimated from admission selectivity and test scores. Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
Estimated range · median 3.20
Estimated GPA band from selectivity and test scores — not an official requirement.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Salem College reported total enrollment of about 423 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 47% male and 100% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes White (48.9%), Hispanic or Latino (19.9%), and Black or African American (19.4%). About 55.20% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 32.7% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
93.8% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Salem College in 2024 is 423 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 499 students. Graduate enrollment is about 85 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
67.5%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
Largest share of total enrollment in our College Scorecard extract.
College Scorecard student demographics (total enrollment shares).
Do students complete their programs?
Time to Complete
50.50% 100% Completion Time
57.43% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 50.50% of students graduating from Salem College completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Visual and Performing Arts, General: 0% male / 100% female
- Education, General: 0% male / 100% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 0% male / 100% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Largest group by summed IPEDS award counts across reported programs.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
Salem College graduates earn a median of $44,640 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Salem College.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $44,640. Median federal loan debt: $26,649. Average net price used in cost models: $18,277.
Method College Scorecard median earnings (10-year), median debt, and EDsmart ROI / payback models using campus net price.
Interpretation Institution-wide ROI and debt ratios summarize campus averages; program choice still drives individual outcomes.
Limitation Salary reflects median earnings ten years after entry; ROI is not program-specific.
Key takeaway Salem College graduates report median earnings of $44,640 ten years after entry—an institution-wide outcomes signal, not a program guarantee.
Return on Investment
Debt and 4-year net cost vs. cumulative 10-year median earnings for Salem College.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (33 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Salem College.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Salem College graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Salem College—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$58.5M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- North Carolina median 4.9× the median ($12M)
- Southeast median 3.0× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 2.2× the median ($26.4M)
- North Carolina median 19× the median ($8,184)
- Southeast median 17× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 13× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 50.7%
- North Carolina median 1.6 pp above median (49.1%)
- Southeast median 8.7 pp below median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 7.2 pp below median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $6,493
- North Carolina median near the median ($6,566)
- Southeast median near the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 0.85× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $12,304
- North Carolina median 1.5× the median ($8,093)
- Southeast median 1.9× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.7× the median ($7,288)
Instructional metrics from College Scorecard. Peer medians are campus-level; see the institutional financials deep dive. Detailed non-instructional staff counts are not included here.
Salem College at a glance
Salem College
Salem College is a private non-profit institution in Winston-Salem, NC, classified as Baccalaureate Colleges: Diverse Fields.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Visual and Performing Arts, GeneralEducation, GeneralBusiness Administration and Management, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- White or Caucasian48.9%Hispanic or Latino19.9%Black or African American19.4%
Schools near Salem College
Other campuses in Winston-Salem, NC when available, plus nearby institutions in North Carolina.
Similar schools
Peers matched by the same EDsmart outcomes grade (Grade C-) within North Carolina, then by similar ownership and admissions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Salem College located?
Salem College is located in Winston-Salem, NC.
What is Salem College's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Salem College is 76.7% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 1,951 applicants and 1,698 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Salem College's tuition?
Salem College tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $33,848 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $18,277 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Salem College cost?
Reported tuition is $33,848 and average net price is $18,277 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $13,710 annually.
Why is Salem College's net price so much lower than tuition?
At Salem College, published tuition is $33,848 while average net price is $18,277—about 46% lower. Average net price subtracts grant and scholarship aid from cost of attendance for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid (College Scorecard). Institutional aid therefore compresses sticker price into a lower typical undergraduate cost signal. The campus average still masks large differences by household income; income-band net prices can diverge sharply from the overall average. EDsmart Data treats the sticker–net gap as an analytical finding, not advice about individual aid offers.
What explains Salem College's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($18,277), completion (57.4% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($44,640). High completion and strong mid-career earnings relative to net cost raise modeled ROI; the estimate is institution-wide and not program-specific. Debt-to-earnings ratios, when available, further contextualize borrowing pressure. Limitations include suppressed fields, program mix, and labor-market variation over time.
What is the student body demographics at Salem College?
Salem College reports undergraduate enrollment of about 499 students, White (48.9%), Hispanic or Latino (19.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Salem College?
About 32.7% of students at Salem College are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Salem College?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Salem College reports midpoint SAT about 1082 and midpoint ACT about 19.
What do graduates of Salem College earn?
Median earnings are $38,496 six years after entry and $44,640 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Salem College?
The 150%-time completion rate is 57.4% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Salem College students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $26,649.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- North Carolina college profile
- North Carolina college costs
- North Carolina colleges by ROI
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina city profile
- Southeast regional profile
- Urban (City) college profile
- Campus-setting profiles
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in North Carolina
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology & Data Scope
This profile uses institution-level fields from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, merged with IPEDS directory attributes where needed for locale, ownership, and program completions.
Benchmark rows compare this campus to NCES locale-type medians (for example Suburban) from our processed location extract. Implied U.S. medians are derived from locale-vs-national percentage fields in that extract—not a separate national Scorecard table.