Colleges by Location
Colleges by Fields of Study
Colleges by Tuition Range
Colleges by GPA Range
College by SAT Range
Colleges by ACT Score
Graduate Schools by Location
Graduate Schools by Fields of Study
Graduate School by Degree Type
Paying for Graduate School
Online Graduate Programs
Test Preparation
Career Planning
College Planning
Graduate School Planning
Applying to Graduate School
Engineering Careers
- More

Winston-Salem, NC
Salem College, founded in 1772, is a women's college located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As the oldest women's college in the southern United States, Salem College has a long and esteemed history of providing education and empowering women. The college is known for its strong liberal arts curriculum and its commitment to developing confident and independent women leaders.
At Salem College, students benefit from a small and close-knit community that fosters academic excellence and personal growth. With an average class size of 13 and a student-to-faculty ratio of 10:1, students receive individualized attention and have ample opportunities to engage in discussions, ask questions and collaborate with professors. The college offers more than 30 academic programs across various disciplines, including arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. This wide range of degree options allows students to tailor their education to their interests and goals. Additionally, the college places a strong emphasis on experiential learning, providing numerous internship, study abroad, and research opportunities for students to gain practical skills and global perspectives.
The campus of Salem College is charming and picturesque, with its historic buildings and beautiful gardens. Students also have access to state-of-the-art facilities, such as the Elberson Fine Arts Center, which houses an art gallery, music and theater spaces, and studios for visual arts. The college is part of the vibrant city of Winston-Salem, which offers a thriving arts and culture scene, numerous internship and job opportunities, and a welcoming community. Salem College is dedicated to empowering women and providing a transformative educational experience that prepares students for success in their careers and lives.
Located in Winston-Salem, NC and set in an urban environment, Salem College is a private comprehensive higher education institution. This school follows a semester-based calendar. It has an acceptance rate of 87%. The freshman retention rate at Salem College is 66.3% and the six-year graduation rate is 57%.
To find out more about what Salem College has to offer to its students, read on for the latest data reported by this school.
Quick Facts
436
Total Number of Undergraduate Students
$33,848
Tuition
7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
57%
Graduation Rate
Admissions
In order to maximize your chances of getting admitted, you need to know as much as possible about the institution's criteria for admission. What are the admission requirements for Salem College?
According to the newest information reported, this school uses standardized test scores for admission and it admitted 1,698 in 2024. Salem College has an official test-optional admission policy but takes into consideration standardized test scores for the applicants who choose to submit them. As far as admission difficulty is considered, based on data self-reported by the institution this school is moderately difficult to get into.
Test Scores
4% of first-time, first-year degree-seeking students submitted their SAT scores for admission, and 7% submitted ACT scores, out of the overall number of those who submitted test scores. 75% of the freshmen submitted SAT composite scores between between 1,200 and 1,399, 13% between 1,000 and 1,199 and 12% of the students between 800 and 999. The percent of incoming freshmen who submitted ACT Composite scores in the range between 24-29 was 36.3, 36.3 in the range between 18-23 and 27.2 between 12-17.
The ACT composite average score for all the enrolled students in 2024 was 21 while the average GPA was 3.71. That means that you need a GPA that's above average in order to get into Salem College; the same goes for your ACT score.
Retention Rate
The student retention rate is the percentage of students who re-enroll from one year to the next. This piece of data is important as it can reveal to the prospective students how many freshmen liked the school enough to return to it as sophomores.
As reported in 2024, the freshman retention rate for Salem College was 66.3%.
The graduation rate is another indicator to take into account. It provides valuable insight into the percentage of students who complete their studies within a designated timeframe. The six-year graduation rate at this school is 57%.
Student Body
Deciding if a school is the right fit for you is not an easy task. Knowing more about the student population can help you get a better understanding of the school's culture and life.
Main Student Body
The total number of students enrolled at Salem College in 2024 was 519.
The school reported an out-of-state student body portion of 15.94% for that year. The total number of undergraduate students enrolled at the institution was 436, 8 of which were international students. 16 students were admitted as transfer students.
Student Population Gender Ratio
The student body is only women, with 5 male and 347 female full-time students in 2024, which speaks volumes for gender equality at this institution. 0 full-time graduate men and 1 full-time graduate women attended this school.
Student Population Diversity
In order to promote a sense of inclusion and belonging among its students, higher education is dedicated to increasing student diversity. Diversity promotes critical thinking, challenges preconceived notions, and encourages intellectual growth, so it helps students develop empathy and a broader understanding of the world. Learn more about all the ethnic communities you might encounter at this institution.
In 2024, out of the total number of students enrolled at the institution, the number of students of Asian origin was 6, and the number of Black American students was 78. 73 undergraduate students at this school identified as Hispanic/Latino and 34 identified with more than one race. There were also 10 students whose ethnicity is unknown.
Cost
Before sending an application to any college or university, the financial component should be taken into consideration. Here are some important information on Salem College costs that most students encounter at this school.
Tuition and Fees
Here are some facts that can be useful if you were curious about Salem College estimated tuition fees.
Tuition in 2024 was $33,848 for full-time domestic students. Since Salem College is a private institution, tuition is the same for all the accepted students. Fees per academic year required of full-time students summed up to $78 in 2024.
Books and Supplies
The estimated cost of books and supplies for a college or university should also be taken into consideration as another important expense. Most students have to spend about $1,250 for books and supplies during their time at Salem College.
Boarding
Besides tuition, another cost to consider is the price of housing in the dorms and eating at the school cafeteria. What is the typical amount colleges and universities charge for room and board?
In 2024, the price of room and board at Salem College was $13,710 per academic year. Room-only (on campus) cost per academic year at this school came to $6,724, according to the data from 2024. The estimated expense of room-only (on campus) for commuters not living at home was $9,990.
Tuition | $ 33,848 |
Room and Board | $ 13,710 |
Book and Supplies | $ 1,250 |
Total Expense | $ 48,808 |
Financial Aid
Obtaining some financial support in forms of grants, loans, scholarships or work-study programs can be very important for finishing your studies. If you wish to find out more about need-based and non-need-based aid at Salem College, here are some recent data you should take into consideration.
The most recent figures show that financial help was given to 60 freshmen. Students of this school received an average of $29,918 in financial help.
Need-based
Financial aid that a student can receive if they are determined to have financial need and meet other eligibility requirements is known as need-based aid.
220 students secured some form of need-based financial aid. Need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid at Salem College is available to international students. The total number of students (including freshmen) who were determined to have financial need amounted to 249. The amount of federal need-based scholarships/grants awarded to the students at this institution totaled $1,101,652, and state $1,113,165.
$16,951
Average Amount of Aid Received
Non-Need Based
Non-need-based aid is any type of financial aid given to a student who does not meet the requirements for need-based aid. Non-need-based student aid typicaly comes in a form of Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Graduate PLUS Loans, Parent PLUS Loans, and the Teacher Education Access for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant.
224 students, including freshmen, received institutional non-need-based financial aid at this institution in 2024. Institutional grants or scholarships that are not based on financial need were given to 60 full-time freshman. The total amount of institutional scholarships and awards that were not based on financial need was $4,016,599. This includes endowment, alumni, other institutional awards, and also external funds awarded by the institution, but doesn't include athletic aid and tuition waivers. The amount the students of this school received from external sources (e.g. Kiwanis, National Merit) was $182,695 USD.
Majors
Faculty
7:1
Student to Faculty Ratio
Knowing more about a school's faculty can help you gauge the caliber of the education it can provide to you.
According to the most recent data, the student-faculty ratio at Salem College was 7:1: that means 7 students per one teacher, which is considered a good ratio. The faculty of this school consists of 95 members, according to the most recent data reported. This number included 27 men and 68 women. The fact that female faculty members outnumber the male ones at this school is telling of the importance gender equality has at Salem College.
Student Population Diversity Graph
Campus Life
Not everything at Salem College is about learning and grades: campus life is an essential part of your educational experience. Find out some details about campus life at Salem College.
Its campus is 69 acres in size.
Student Organizations
Joining multiple student organizations can provide you a more interesting and dynamic experience.
The number of student organizations and groups with open membership at this school is 41. There is a drama club you can join if acting is something that interests you. You have a talent for media and communication? Salem College publishes its own newspaper.
Student Services
Salem College provides a number of services necessary for a comfortable and secure life on campus.
24/7 emergency phone and alarm devices are available. The dormitory entrances are electronically operated. There is a 24-hour security patrol. The transport/escort service operates during late hours.
There is a health clinic with personal/psychological counseling. All in all, campus life at Salem College is rich and vibrant and provides everything most students need.
Career Services
Having career services at a college or university can mean a great deal for your career planning, so find out what you can expect at Salem College.
Career Counselling
At Salem College, there is both group career counseling for all students and individual career counseling for all students. There are a library and job fairs. This school offers alumni networking opportunities, which could be highly beneficial for your future career. Individual job placement is available to all students at this school.
FAQ
-
Salem College is located in Winston-Salem, NC.
-
Salem College offers need-based college-administered scholarship and grant aid to international students.
-
According to the latest information, you would need to pay about 33,848 USD per academic year for Salem College.
-
This school uses standardized test scores for admission.
-
The most recent data indicate that the acceptance rate for Salem College is 87%.
-
The most recent data indicate that the freshman retention rate for Salem College is 66.3%.
Contact Information
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved. Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.
Find the best schools for you.
Need help with choosing grad school? We got you.
Data Source: IPEDS and Peterson's Databases © 2023 Peterson's LLC All rights reserved.
Portions of this content were co-written with OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model.