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Salem College

Salem College

Winston-Salem, NC · City · 423 students
WebsiteCommon AppScorecard
Application deadlines: Check the admissions site
$18,277
Average net priceYour net price
2023-24
<30
30–48
48–75
75–110
110+
By household income — tap a bar
57%
Graduation rate
Entered fall 2017 & 2018
69% typical
$44,640
Earnings 10 years on
Measured 2020 & 2021
$58,391 typical
77%
Acceptance rate
Applied for fall 2024
64% typical · not scored
Accredited by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
About

Established in 1772, Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is the nation's oldest continuously operating educational institution for women, best known for its empowering, tight-knit community and rich historical legacy. Distinctively focused on preparing the next generation of female leaders, Salem’s strongest academic programs center on its unique Health Leadership curriculum, which integrates health sciences, pre-medicine, and health humanities with a traditional liberal arts foundation. The student experience is defined by a supportive sisterhood on a picturesque campus adjacent to historic Old Salem, where undergraduates benefit from guaranteed internships, collaborative research, and personalized faculty mentorship. Ultimately, Salem stands out for combining this nurturing, historic environment with a modern, targeted focus on launching women into high-demand careers in healthcare, science, and community wellness.

Wikipedia:Salem College is a private women's liberal arts college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1772 as a primary school, it later became an academy and ultimately added the college. It is the oldest female educational establishment that is still a women's college and the oldest women's college in the United States.

Location
Winston-Salem, NC, 27101 · City campus
✈
Nearest airport from college
RDU · Raleigh-Durham
83 mi away
Open in Google Maps
Cost & aid
Cost of attendance
YoursEveryone
Tuition & fees$33,848
Housing & food (on campus)$13,710
Books & supplies$1,250
Cost of attendance$58,942
Average net price$18,277
Same price for all students
Tuition & fees$33,848
Housing & food (on campus)$13,710
Books & supplies$1,250
Cost of attendance$58,942
Average net price$18,277
Source: U.S. College Scorecard · published total: www.salem.edu
How it’s made up · 2026-27
Salem College’s own figures for 2026-2027, newer than the 2024-25 federal figures above, so the amounts differ.
Tuition$36,608
Housing$7,132
Food$7,554
Books & supplies$1,340
Personal expenses$2,020
Transportation$4,208
Total published by the school$58,942
Net price by family income · 2023-24
$0–30k
$19,074
$30–48k
$16,001
$48–75k
$16,147
$75–110k
$19,940
$110k+
$24,027
Outcomes
Completion
Within 6 yrs
57%
Entered 2017–18
Within 4 yrs
51%
Back for yr 2
68%
Transferred
0%
8 yrs after starting · first-time, full-time students
64% graduated · 26% transferred · 1% still enrolled · 9% left or unknown
Earnings · measured 2020 & 2021
6 yrs after entry$38,496
10 yrs after entry$44,640
Debt
Median at graduation$26,649
Monthly payment$283
Middle 50% owe$9.5k–$29.2k
90th percentile$41,082
Admissions
Getting in · applied for fall 2024
Admit rate
77%
Test policy
Test optional
Per College Scorecard
SAT average
1082
R 553–643 · M 513–600
ACT midpoint
19
Comp 16–22 · E 14–24 · M 15–22
SAT middle 50%: 1066–1243
40080012001600

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Essay prompts

If Salem College asks for supplemental essays, the prompts are in the Common App.

The personal essay is separate: see the Common App essay prompts.

Student Body
Gender
Men 0%Women 100%
Who enrolls
Faculty ratio
9 : 1
Pell grant
55%
First-gen
33%
Family income
$35,899
Independent
26%
Age at entry
23.0
Part-time
6%
Race & ethnicity
White
49%
Hispanic
20%
Black
19%
Asian
2%
Non-resident
4%
AI/AN
4%
Unknown
2%
Varsity sports

No data. This school isn't in the U.S. Department of Education's athletics (EADA) file, so we can't list its teams. That doesn't mean it has none.

Programs & Earnings
Bachelor's degrees by annual completions · 4yr national median earnings
Median earnings, all programs · measured 2020 & 2021
After 6 yrs
$38,496
After 10 yrs
$44,640
Business Administration, Management and Operations13
Design and Applied Arts11
Psychology, General10
Fine and Studio Arts8
Education, General4
English Language and Literature, General4
Communication and Media Studies3
Biology, General3
Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology3
Criminal Justice and Corrections3
History3
Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics2
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies2
Mathematics2
Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness2
Religion/Religious Studies2
Type your major above to highlight and detail relevant programs.
Institutional
Resources
Endowment
$61M
Full-time faculty
51%
Faculty salary
$6,493/mo
Teaching spend
$12,304
per student
Federal loans
45%
Classification
Carnegie type
Baccalaureate — arts & sciences
Undergraduate profile
Four-year, inclusive admissions

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