Percentile rankings vs 1,600+ peer institutions. Higher is better.
Career OutcomesAzimuth ranks Salem College #932 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $49,227, placing Salem College in the 9.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Salem College #1181 for mobility among nonprofit four-year institutions. ---
Azimuth ranks Salem College #932 for overall value on Azimuth's composite among nonprofit four-year institutions. A private baccalaureate college in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Salem College enrolls roughly 423 undergraduates. Retention stands at 67.5% and the six-year graduation rate is 57.4%, reflecting strong completion outcomes for a residential liberal arts institution. Where Salem College performs strongest is return on investment. Azimuth ranks Salem College #941 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $49,227, reflecting solid early-career financial outcomes for a small private institution. The college's program portfolio centers on Biological Sciences, which aligns with both student interests and regional labor-market demand in the Research Triangle and broader Southeast. Access and affordability sit lower in the composite. Salem College enrolls 55.2% Pell-eligible undergraduates and 32.7% first-generation students, placing the institution in the 54.4 percentile for access among nonprofit four-year institutions. Affordability sits in the 55.4 percentile, reflecting the tuition structure of a private institution offset by need-based aid for qualifying families. Mobility outcomes rank in the 20.3 percentile, indicating that while graduates achieve solid earnings, the institution serves a student population whose post-graduation outcomes represent meaningful returns relative to the no-degree baseline.
Salem College's published cost of attendance is $48,532. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $19,074, middle-income families pay around $16,147, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,027. Azimuth ranks Salem College #636 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown. Salem College meets demonstrated financial need for admitted students through a combination of need-based scholarships, grants, and loans. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and the college works to minimize student borrowing where possible through its aid structure. The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry: understanding the gap between published cost and what families actually pay is essential when comparing institutions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,649, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the Parent PLUS risk framework for how household context shapes PLUS decisions. For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $49,227, median federal debt of $26,649 projects to a monthly payment of about $301 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use Azimuth's Financial GPS tool.
Salem College is a strong fit for students drawn to the biological sciences and related fields who want a private liberal arts college experience in Winston-Salem, NC. Graduates earn median 4-year earnings of $49,227, placing Salem College in the 9.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. The institution enrolls a meaningful share of Pell-eligible and first-generation students — 55.2% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants and 32.7% are first-generation — and delivers completion rates that place Salem College in the 53.6% percentile for Pell completion rates among nonprofit four-year institutions. Fit depends on two realistic filters: the 76.7% admit rate makes the application process selective, and the program mix favors science-oriented fields over applied-professional ones. Students whose interests align with those areas and who can navigate the application process will find the earnings trajectory and aid package among the strongest in the region.
This school profile was generated using Azimuth's proprietary ROI framework, developed by founder Daniel Rogers. Our methodology transforms federal education data into actionable insights for families.
College Azimuth is a private research initiative and is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Education or Federal Student Aid. Data sourced from College Scorecard.
This content is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or professional advice. Consult a qualified advisor before making any financial decisions.
Comprehensive Analysis
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This is the Salem College hub overview page. Related admissions, cost, outcomes, majors, and similar-school pages provide the detailed school data.
Based on federal data for students receiving aid. Actual costs may vary.
Salem College's published cost of attendance is $48,532. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $19,074, middle-income families pay around $16,147, and higher-income families pay approximately $24,027.
Azimuth ranks Salem College #636 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.
Salem College meets demonstrated financial need for admitted students through a combination of need-based scholarships, grants, and loans. Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile, and the college works to minimize student borrowing where possible through its aid structure.
The affordability rank reflects both the headline sticker price and the debt load graduates carry: understanding the gap between published cost and what families actually pay is essential when comparing institutions. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $26,649, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $13,000; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.
For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $49,227, median federal debt of $26,649 projects to a monthly payment of about $301 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).
Graduates of Salem College earn median 4-year earnings of $49,227, placing Salem College in the 9.9 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Salem College #941 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The earnings profile reflects Salem College's concentration in Biological Sciences, a field where graduates typically move into stable, well-compensated roles in research, healthcare, and related sectors. The program lineup centers on biological and life sciences.
Biology, General is the largest program with 13 graduates, followed by Business Administration with 12 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $68,431. Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology and American History (United States) round out the core offerings, with Psychology, General enrolling 7 graduates who earn median 4-year earnings of $49,464.
This program-focused structure supports consistent outcomes for students pursuing careers in the life sciences and related professional pathways.
Business Administration, Management and Operations
12 graduates
Psychology, General
7 graduates
Education, General
6 graduates
Salem College anchors its academic portfolio in the biological sciences, a signature that shapes both enrollment patterns and career outcomes. Biology, General is the largest program with 13 graduates annually, followed by Business Administration with 12 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $68,431.
Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology, American History (United States), and Psychology, General round out the five largest programs, with Psychology, General graduating 7 students earning median 4-year earnings of $49,464. Across 9 total programs, 0 meet Azimuth's ranking threshold.
The institution's highest-earning programs cluster in health and applied fields. Business Administration leads with 12 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $68,431, reflecting strong labor-market demand for health-related credentials.
Psychology, General follows with 7 graduates earning $49,464, and Education, General with 6 graduates earning $47,488. This concentration in Biological Sciences — supported by 14% in Business, 11% in Arts, and 5% in Education — positions graduates for direct entry into healthcare, research, and applied-science careers where four-year earnings reflect immediate labor-market outcomes.
As a private liberal arts institution in Winston-Salem, Salem College graduates a focused cohort annually, creating concentrated strength in fields aligned with regional employer demand and national healthcare workforce needs. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with labor-market trends in health sciences and biological research.
Peer institutions with comparable quality and outcomes:
| School | State | Accept Rate | Median Earnings | Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
King University Similar quality tier in Southeast (#26036 ranked) | TN | 100% | $59,831 | #26036 | Compare |
Keuka College Similar quality tier (#26032 ranked) | NY | 68% | $58,289 | #26032 | Compare |
Simpson University Similar quality tier (#26029 ranked) | CA | 86% | $54,340 | #26029 | Compare |
Orleans Technical College Similar quality tier (#27071 ranked) | PA | 80% | $38,668 | #27071 | Compare |
Viterbo University Similar quality tier (#27589 ranked) | WI | 72% | $55,660 | #27589 | Compare |
