Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC 27110-0001
About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University is a public research university in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, serving roughly 4,170 students. Admission is moderately selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 78.26% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $45,344 among students who received federal aid.
Key findings
- Winston-Salem State University charges 11% above the national public median tuition ($6,126).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is 11% below.
- Completion within 150% of normal time is 46.68%.
- Median earnings 10 years after entry are $45,344.
Research findings
Finding
Modeled return on investment at Winston-Salem State University is strong.
Estimated ROI reaches about 741% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem State University | $6,126 | $13,479 | 1 |
| Public (national median) | $5,512 | — | 1,688 |
| 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.
How expensive is Winston-Salem State University really?
Key findings
- Winston-Salem State University charges 11% above the national public median tuition ($6,126).
- Versus the North Carolina median, sticker tuition is 11% below.
Winston-Salem State University tuition
Published undergraduate tuition $6,126
Finding Winston-Salem State University charges 11% above the national public median tuition.
Evidence Published tuition is $6,126. That is 11% above the national public median ($5,512). Versus the North Carolina median ($6,906), sticker tuition is 11% below. Versus the U.S. median ($11,900), sticker is about 0.5×.
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 public 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 Winston-Salem State University versus school-type, state, locale, and U.S. medians.
Evidence: average net price at Winston-Salem State University versus state, locale, and U.S. medians.
What undergraduates typically pay
Finding Average net price at Winston-Salem State University is $13,479.
Evidence College Scorecard average net price is $13,479 (cost of attendance minus average grant aid for aided undergraduates). That is about $6,658 above the North Carolina median net price. Versus urban (city) campuses, net price runs $6,574 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 At Winston-Salem State University, average net price exceeds published tuition alone because net price uses a fuller cost-of-attendance base.
Winston-Salem State University: research record
Canonical EDsmart Data findings for Winston-Salem State University—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
In-state tuition
$6,126
Out-of-state tuition
$16,782
Avg. net price
$13,479
Net price by family income
| Income bracket | Avg. annual net price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $11,463 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $12,412 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $14,681 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $18,813 |
| $110,001+ | $21,405 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $24,504. 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 Winston-Salem State University is known for
Top program completions
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse139
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management113
- Business Administration and Management, General87
- Psychology, General60
- Biology/Biological Sciences, General59
See earnings & programs for more.
Admissions landscape
- Broad access — most applicants are admitted.
- Yield: 14% of admitted students enrolled.
- Average SAT: 945
- Midpoint ACT: 17
See Admissions for the full funnel.
Is Winston-Salem State University a good school?
Data-framed fit—not a prestige rating.
Winston-Salem State University 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 Winston-Salem State University.
Campus
Location
Winston-Salem, NC
City / state
- ZIP
- 27110-0001
- NCES locale
- City
Compared with Urban (City) campuses nationally, net price is 33% below the median for Urban (City) campuses ($20,053 median).
Control
Institution type
Public
Control
- Region
- Southeast
- Carnegie
- Doctoral/Professional Universities
Size
Enrollment
4,170
Total enrollment
- Undergraduate
- 4,626
- Graduate
- 590
- Full-time share
- 90%
Student aid
Debt & aid
$25,000
Median federal loan debt
- Pell grant share
- 64.91%
Total Cost, Aid & Default
Total Cost of Attendance
Tuition vs average net price after aid for Winston-Salem State University.
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 Winston-Salem State University 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 Winston-Salem State University 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 | $5,468 | $14,281 | $8,788 |
| 2014 | $5,583 | $15,113 | $8,200 |
| 2015 | $5,707 | $15,523 | $9,285 |
| 2016 | $5,804 | $15,915 | $10,849 |
| 2017 | $5,941 | $16,188 | $11,811 |
| 2018 | $5,904 | $16,151 | $11,802 |
| 2019 | $5,941 | $16,188 | $12,286 |
| 2020 | $5,941 | $16,188 | $12,415 |
| 2021 | $6,247 | $16,903 | $13,435 |
| 2022 | $6,276 | $16,932 | $14,618 |
| 2023 | $6,735 | $17,391 | $13,393 |
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 945 (middle 50% not reported)
Midpoint 17 (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
Winston-Salem State University reported total enrollment of about 4,170 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 26% male and 74% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Black or African American (83.2%), White (4.9%), and Hispanic or Latino (4.8%). About 64.91% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 35.4% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
90.1% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Winston-Salem State University in 2024 is 4,170 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 4,626 students. Graduate enrollment is about 590 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
77.2%
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
30.04% 100% Completion Time
46.68% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 30.04% of students graduating from Winston-Salem State University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse: 6% male / 94% female
- Health/Health Care Administration/Management: 12% male / 88% female
- Business Administration and Management, General: 32% male / 68% 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.
Winston-Salem State University graduates earn a median of $45,344 ten years after entry
Finding Earnings, debt, and program mix define the financial profile of Winston-Salem State University.
Evidence Median earnings 10 years after entry: $45,344. Median federal loan debt: $25,000. Average net price used in cost models: $13,479.
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 Winston-Salem State University graduates report median earnings of $45,344 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 Winston-Salem State University.
Top Programs by Completions
Largest 10 programs by IPEDS completions (38 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
IPEDS award counts for the largest programs at Winston-Salem State University.
Employment Outcomes
Median earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after entry for Winston-Salem State University graduates.
How financially powerful is this institution?
Finding: federal finance and Scorecard instructional fields for Winston-Salem State University—endowment assets (fiscal year 2023), instructional staffing and expenditure. Compared with state, regional, and U.S. medians from EDsmart Data institutional financials.
Institutional endowment
$48.8M
End-of-year assets · Fiscal year 2023
- North Carolina median 4.1× the median ($12M)
- Southeast median 2.5× the median ($19.4M)
- U.S. median 1.8× the median ($26.4M)
- North Carolina median 1.3× the median ($8,184)
- Southeast median 1.1× the median ($9,308)
- U.S. median 0.85× the median ($12,100)
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 67.1%
- North Carolina median 18.0 pp above median (49.1%)
- Southeast median 7.7 pp above median (59.4%)
- U.S. median 9.2 pp above median (58.0%)
- Average faculty salary (monthly): $9,217
- North Carolina median 1.4× the median ($6,566)
- Southeast median 1.4× the median ($6,825)
- U.S. median 1.2× the median ($7,615)
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $11,408
- North Carolina median 1.4× the median ($8,093)
- Southeast median 1.7× the median ($6,602)
- U.S. median 1.6× 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.
Winston-Salem State University at a glance
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University is a public institution in Winston-Salem, NC, classified as Doctoral/Professional Universities.
- Largest programs (IPEDS awards)
- Registered Nursing/Registered NurseHealth/Health Care Administration/ManagementBusiness Administration and Management, General
- Largest enrollment groups
- Black or African American83.2%White or Caucasian4.9%Hispanic or Latino4.8%
- Opportunity College (2025)
- Higher access & higher earnings · Browse OCU directory
Schools near Winston-Salem State University
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 Winston-Salem State University located?
Winston-Salem State University is located in Winston-Salem, NC.
What is Winston-Salem State University's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Winston-Salem State University is 78.3% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 9,273 applicants and 6,357 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
What is Winston-Salem State University's tuition?
Winston-Salem State University tuition (published undergraduate sticker price) is $6,126 in the latest College Scorecard data. Average net price after grant aid is $13,479 for undergraduates receiving Title IV aid.
How much does Winston-Salem State University cost?
Reported tuition is $6,126 and average net price is $13,479 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $11,484 annually.
What explains Winston-Salem State University's return on investment in EDsmart Data?
EDsmart Data models ROI using campus average net price ($13,479), completion (46.7% within 150% of normal time where reported), and median earnings ten years after entry ($45,344). 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 Winston-Salem State University?
Winston-Salem State University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 4,626 students, Black or African American (83.2%), White (4.9%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend Winston-Salem State University?
About 35.4% of students at Winston-Salem State University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Winston-Salem State University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Winston-Salem State University reports midpoint SAT about 945 and midpoint ACT about 17.
What do graduates of Winston-Salem State University earn?
Median earnings are $40,557 six years after entry and $45,344 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Winston-Salem State University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 46.7% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Winston-Salem State University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $25,000.
Is Winston-Salem State University public or private?
Winston-Salem State University is a public institution located in Winston-Salem, NC.
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.