Salem University
Salem University is a for-profit university in Salem, WV, with about 452 students on campus.
The short version on Salem University
A lower graduation rate than at most 4-year colleges
Only 20% of students graduate within six years, fewer than at 94% of 4-year colleges. 55% of first-year students come back for a second year. Many students are older and juggling work or family. Outcomes ↓
Most students come from lower-income families
75% of undergraduates receive Pell grants, the federal grant for lower-income students. The students ↓
Students from wealthier families earn much more
Ten years after starting, students from families making over $75,000 earn a median $55,103. Students from families under $30,000 earn $28,485. Outcomes ↓
Salem University is very small
About 452 students attend on campus. With classes this small, a handful of students can move the graduation rate from one year to the next. The students ↓
Many students are adults coming back to school
49% of undergraduates are 25 or older. The students ↓
This summary is written from the data on this page. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard; graduation rates count only first-time, full-time students; at a college this small, rates can swing from year to year.
Do students finish, and does it pay off?
Debt vs. the paycheck
The typical loan payment as a share of a typical graduate’s monthly pay six years after starting
$262 a month against about $2,634 a month in pay.
Paying back loans
Federal student loans, this college
of borrowers paid down at least some of their loan within three years, more than at 13% of U.S. colleges.
Almost none defaulted within three years (payments on federal loans were paused from 2020 to 2023, so recent default rates are near zero everywhere).
Earnings by family background
Median earnings 10 years after starting, by family income at enrollment
How hard is it to get into Salem University?
anyone with a high school diploma can enroll
Test scores of admitted students
No SAT or ACT ranges reported. Salem University is likely test-optional.
The sticker price, and what families really pay
Sticker price: $18,650 a year
Before any grants
After grants, the average family on aid pays $12,303.
Your family’s price
Average net price after grants, by family income
About $44,616 over 4 years · 40% off the sticker price
What students study, and what it pays
Share of degrees by field
Bachelor’s programs with the most graduates
And their graduates’ median earnings four years later (one year where that’s all that’s reported).
The students
892 degree-seeking undergraduates.
By race and ethnicity
Women and men
Living in Salem
19% of Salem’s 1,570 residents are enrolled in college. What the town is like, from TownRatings’ Salem pages.
Other colleges within 30 miles
Straight-line distances from Salem University; colleges with 100 or more students on campus.
Ask around
Students, parents, alumni and the neighbors next door.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (institution and field-of-study files) and IPEDS (Scorecard 06/10/2026 · IPEDS 2024 · fall 2023); town figures from the Census American Community Survey and NOAA climate normals. Graduation rates count first-time, full-time students; earnings and debt are for students who received federal aid. Distances are straight-line. Colleges are described, not graded (how TownRatings describes colleges). Map © OpenStreetMap contributors.