Payback
EarningsPlus
Economic score
Salem University is a for-profit online college. Salem University has an open admissions policy.
Return on educational investment at Salem University is in the bottom 5% of all ranked schools. The median student earns $32,796 10 years after enrolling, 58th among online schools, and in the bottom 5% nationally. When adjusted for earning differences by major, Salem University bachelor students earn 36% less than the national average.
Salem University’s median net annual cost of $21,492 and average years to graduate of 4.2 are reported only at the school level. We assume these same costs and graduation time for all programs.
The top 3 programs at Salem University sorted by number of graduates - Business Administration, Criminal Justice, Computer science - are shown below.
Annual net cost
$21,492
Average years to graduate
4.2
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
When a school's graduation rate falls in the bottom 25% in the country, we do not display an economic ranking.
EarningPlus compares the three-year post graduate earnings to the median earnings of the same graduating class, with the same graduate degree. These 2 metrics, debt-to-earnings and EarningsPlus, are combined into an economic score. The lower the economic score the better.
The most popular 2 graduate programs at Salem University - Business Administration, Curriculum and Instruction - are shown below.
The average full-time graduate completes their degree in 4.2 years. 34% of all students graduate within 8 years including part-time students. The graduation rate at Salem University is 17% lower than the state average, and 24% below the average for all regional universities in the country.
At Salem University, Pell Grant recipients represent 64% of the measured graduating class, 29% higher than the national average of 35%. The average Pell Grant recipient at Salem University graduates within 4.3 years.
We calculate this performance by adjusting the graduation rate of Pell students by their percentage of the student body. This adjustment is made to prevent schools with large numbers of Pell students from underperforming in comparison to schools with few Pell students but high graduation rates.
Salem University’s economic mobility score of 2.01 is calculated by adjusting the 18.97 economic score of lower-income students by the 64% pell grant recipients within the student body. Salem University’s EMS of 2.01 ranks in the bottom 5% nationally. Please note that the economic mobility score considers only students that have graduated.
Economic Mobility
To calculate economic mobility of low-income (household earnings below $30,000) students, we adjust each institution’s economic score by their percentage of Pell Grant students. The logic of this Pell-adjusted calculation is derived from Third Way’s Economic Mobility Index (EMI).
Bottom 5%
The average Title IV recipient at Salem University pays $21,492 a year, $6,808 less than the $28,300 advertised. See below the cost breakdown for students who receive Title IV grants, broken down by income level.
Average net price
The average net price shown by income level for all students that receive Title IV aid. Calculated by deducting the average grant and scholarship aid from tuition, fees, books, and room and board. Limited to first-time, full-time students. Public institution figures are calculated using in-state tuition figures.
Median net price $21,492
Much of the gap between net price and sticker price is filled by institutional and government grants. At Salem University, 100% of students receive some grants and scholarships, compared to the national average of 87% for all colleges and universities. The average amount of federal, state, and institutional grants that students receive is shown on the right.
This leaves a total of $21,492 on average to be covered by the student – be it through loans or out of pocket. In total, 92% of students take out loans, federal or private, at an average amount of $6,536. This is 38% more than the national average.
Federal grants
$6,308
Pell grants
$4,984
State grants
$2,000
Institutional grants
$7,969
Full time
79%
83%
Female
55%
59%
First time
62%
59%
In-state
17%
68%
1st generation
54%
35%
White
40%
52%
Black
22%
14%
Hispanic
8%
15%
Asian
N/A
5%
American Indian
N/A
1.6%
Pacific Islander
N/A
0.3%
Other
29%
12%