by our College Data Analytics TeamHere is what you can expect to pay at Salem State University, spanning what it costs to attend, projected costs over a degree, net price, debt outcomes, and aid equity.
Jump to any section of this page using the links below:
The full cost of attending Salem State University spanned $27,615.00 through $34,808.00 depending on your residency status.
In-state students paid the lower published figure, while out-of-state students faced the higher one: about $27,615.00 for in-state students versus $34,808.00 out-of-state.
Here the cost is broken out three ways: no aid, average aid, and the aid a low-income student typically receives.
| Tuition and fees | $12,338.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,277.00 |
| Total cost | $27,615.00 |
| That is 43% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,615.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,295.00 |
| Net price | $15,320.00 |
| That is 20% below the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $27,615.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$17,775.00 |
| Net price | $9,840.00 |
| That is 49% below the national average net price. |
| Tuition and fees | $19,531.00 |
| + Room, board & other expenses | $15,277.00 |
| Total cost | $34,808.00 |
| That is 81% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $34,808.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$12,295.00 |
| Net price | $22,513.00 |
| That is 17% above the national average net price. |
| Total cost | $34,808.00 |
| − Grants and scholarships | −$17,775.00 |
| Net price | $17,033.00 |
| That is 12% below the national average net price. | |
| For the full breakdown, see tuition and fees and room and board. |
The reported cost series has been increasing at a recent average of 1.9% a year, so a full degree will cost more than a single year — the tables below carry that forward. Below, the cost is projected across a degree for three students at once — low-income with aid, average aid, and no aid. Loan totals assume a ten-year repayment at 6.8%.
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $10,024.00 | $15,606.00 | $28,131.00 |
| Senior year | $10,597.00 | $16,498.00 | $29,739.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $41,234.00 | $64,198.00 | $115,721.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $15,709.00 | $24,457.00 | $44,085.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $475.00 | $739.00 | $1,332.00 |
| Total amount paid | $56,943.00 | $88,656.00 | $159,806.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $10,024.00 | $15,606.00 | $28,131.00 |
| Senior year | $10,211.00 | $15,898.00 | $28,657.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $20,235.00 | $31,505.00 | $56,789.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $7,709.00 | $12,002.00 | $21,634.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $233.00 | $363.00 | $654.00 |
| Total amount paid | $27,944.00 | $43,507.00 | $78,423.00 |
| Projected 4-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $17,351.00 | $22,934.00 | $35,459.00 |
| Senior year | $18,343.00 | $24,244.00 | $37,485.00 |
| Total 4-year net price | $71,377.00 | $94,341.00 | $145,863.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $27,192.00 | $35,940.00 | $55,568.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $821.00 | $1,086.00 | $1,679.00 |
| Total amount paid | $98,569.00 | $130,281.00 | $201,431.00 |
| Projected 2-year net costs | Low Income w/ Aid | w/ Average Aid | No Aid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual growth rate | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Freshman year | $17,351.00 | $22,934.00 | $35,459.00 |
| Senior year | $17,676.00 | $23,363.00 | $36,122.00 |
| Total 2-year net price | $35,027.00 | $46,297.00 | $71,581.00 |
| 10-year loan interest @ 6.8% | $13,344.00 | $17,637.00 | $27,270.00 |
| Total monthly payment | $403.00 | $533.00 | $824.00 |
| Total amount paid | $48,371.00 | $63,934.00 | $98,850.00 |
Jump to the net-price detail in the net-price section.
Net price reflects the true cost to attend after grant and scholarship aid is deducted. For most students, this is the more useful number than published tuition because it reflects the real out-of-pocket cost.
| Average net price (on-campus) | $15,996.00 |
| Average net price (off-campus) | $18,441.00 |
Net price varies sharply by family income, dropping as need-based aid grows. The breakdown below splits average net price across income brackets:
| Family income | Average net price |
|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $13,384.00 |
| $30,000 to $48,000 | $14,747.00 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $17,712.00 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,398.00 |
| Over $110,000 | $24,642.00 |
Run your own numbers with the Salem State University Net Price Calculator, or check with the financial aid office.
Curious how grants and scholarships are distributed? Explore the grants & scholarships detail.
The median amount borrowed by graduates of Salem State University amounts to $19,500.00, categorized as a Low ($10-20k) debt-burden category.
The percentile spread of debt at graduation is shown below:
| Percentile | Debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| 10th | $4,500.00 |
| 25th | $7,772.00 |
| Median (50th) | $19,500.00 |
| 75th | $27,000.00 |
| 90th | $33,700.00 |
The spread between the 10th and 90th percentiles reflects how variable debt outcomes are at this school.
For the full borrowing and repayment picture, see the student loan debt page.
Family income tracks closely with debt at graduation. Below the data splits borrowers across three income groups:
| Family income | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| Low income | $20,000.00 |
| Middle income | $19,500.00 |
| High income | $18,310.00 |
Graduates from lower-income families carry $1,690.00 in additional median debt versus high-income graduates.
Debt at graduation often differs for first-generation students.
| Student group | Median debt at graduation |
|---|---|
| First-generation students | $19,500.00 |
| Continuing-generation students | $18,500.00 |
First-generation graduates of Salem State University graduate with $1,000.00 more median debt than continuing-generation peers.
Pell Grants are the largest source of federal need-based aid for undergrads. The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap reveals how borrowing differs by need.
The Pell vs non-Pell debt gap at Salem State University stands at $3,508.00. This school is flagged by the Department of Education for Pell-related debt inequity.
The Department of Education default-rate tier for Salem State University is Low (<5%).
| Window | Cohort default rate |
|---|---|
| 2-year | 6.4% |
For context on the loan portfolio, Stafford disbursements at Salem State University total $542,396,770.00 covering 26,978 recipients.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers can tap dedicated federal aid programs like the Post-9/11 GI Bill and DoD tuition assistance.
| GI Bill recipients | 114 |
| Avg GI Bill amount | $7,514.00 |
| DoD Tuition Assistance recipients | 1 |
| Avg DoD Tuition Assistance | $4,500.00 |
Read more about military and veteran aid on the veterans benefits detail.
Numbers only tell part of the story. As you weigh Salem State University, the questions below are worth your time:
Dig further into the cost picture with the related pages below:
Data sources. Figures on this page draw from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and MediaFactual editorial review. Net-price calculator and financial-aid office links are taken from the institution’s own published data.