1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [Winston-Salem State University](/school/winston-salem-state-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # Winston-Salem State University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/winston-salem-state-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/winston-salem-state-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/winston-salem-state-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/winston-salem-state-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/winston-salem-state-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do Winston-Salem State University graduates earn? The reported median is $56,396 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$905 per year. The spread between the downside and upside earnings scenarios is wide at Winston-Salem State University, running from $40,361 to $85,595. These are scenarios estimated from the program mix, not observed groups of graduates. Computer Science sits at the high end, with median earnings of $94,298 four years after completion from 17 degrees awarded a year. Nursing, the largest program, reports $84,952 from 213 degrees awarded. Accounting graduates earn $70,941 from 14 degrees awarded. An estimated 28.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. Because four-year earnings cover completers who are working and not enrolled, those continuing their education are outside that earnings snapshot. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $56,396 **Rank for difference from expectations** 72nd percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **Winston-Salem State University reported median** $56,396 **Peer schools comparable schools · $905 above Winston-Salem State University** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $5,367 below Winston-Salem State University** $51,029 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $40,361 to $85,595, around the reported median of $56,396. Compare the lower scenario with [Winston-Salem State University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/winston-salem-state-university/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $40,361 **Median · reported** $56,396 **Higher estimate** $85,595 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do Winston-Salem State University graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). Winston-Salem State University graduates’ reported earnings are $5,367 above that expectation, the 72nd percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending Winston-Salem State University caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$5,580 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$213 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$5,367 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at Winston-Salem State University report the highest earnings? Nursing is the largest program at Winston-Salem State University, with 213 degrees awarded and median earnings of $84,952 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #163 nationally within its field. Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions holds the strongest national rank, at #30 within its field, with 53 degrees awarded and median earnings of $70,450 four years after completion. At the more moderate end, Kinesiology and Physical Education has 79 degrees awarded and median earnings of $43,313, while Business Administration and Management has 60 degrees awarded and median earnings of $43,292. Azimuth ranks Kinesiology and Physical Education #208 nationally and Business Administration and Management #350 nationally within their fields. Health Professions accounts for 43.0% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and the university has 13 nationally ranked programs. Nursing is the largest, with 213 degrees awarded and median earnings of $84,952 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #163 nationally and #4 in North Carolina. The highest-earning program is Computer Science, at $94,298, though it awarded only 17 degrees. Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions holds the best national rank at #30, with 53 degrees awarded and median earnings of $70,450. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Computer Science** $94,298 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $84,952 **Accounting and Related Services** $70,941 **Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions** $70,450 **Computer and Information Sciences, General** $63,562 **Social Work** $53,028 **Criminal Justice and Corrections** $52,130 **Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods** $51,520 [Explore Winston-Salem State University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/winston-salem-state-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Earnings scenarios estimated from the program mix show a downside of $40,361, a typical outcome of $56,396, and an upside of $85,595. The spread shows the variation by field. At the high end, Computer Science graduates earn $94,298 four years after completion. Among the largest programs, Business Administration and Management sits at the lower end with $43,292. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates of Winston-Salem State University who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $56,396 (based on 1,310 completers). That is $905 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size), and Azimuth places the university in the 37th percentile for earnings among nonprofit four-year institutions. The typical earnings scenario matches the observed median at $56,396. The downside earnings scenario is $40,361 and the upside reaches $85,595, a wide spread across scenarios. An estimated 28.2% of graduates continue to graduate study, based on the program mix. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).