Salem College

Winston-Salem, NC 423 Undergrads 61.7% Grad Rate

School Website|Financial Calculator

Total Cost

$48,532

Sticker Price

Avg Net Price

$18,277

After Aid

Median Earnings

$49,227

4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,277

Peer Midpoint: $20,080.5

Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$49,227

Peer Midpoint: $60,428

Graduation Rate61.7%

Peer Midpoint: 58.9%

Socio-Economic Diversity

Pell Grant Recipients57.9%

Enrollment Status

Full-Time93.8%

Economic Outcomes

Earn More than HS63.9%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance

76.7%

SAT Avg

1,082

SAT Reading

25th: 55358075th: 643

SAT Math

25th: 51354775th: 600

ACT Composite

25th: 161975th: 22

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV

Vs Median Peer

Vs HS Grad

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

+$447k

-$20k

-$37k

Median Cost$18k/yr

+$381k

-$86k

-$103k

Full Cost$49k/yr

+$272k

-$194k

-$212k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age

Return on Inv. %

Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0

Never

-∞

Median Cost$18k/yr

Never

-157%

Full Cost$49k/yr

Never

-121%

Analysis Assumptions:

Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-126%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-94%

Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Bachelor's Degrees

Accounting and Related Services

BachCIP: 5203

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $76,194

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Arts, Entertainment, and Media Management

BachCIP: 5010

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,240

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology

BachCIP: 2602

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,466

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biological and Physical Sciences

BachCIP: 3001

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $58,891

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Biology, General

BachCIP: 2601

Median Debt

$26,750

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $57,214

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Business Administration, Management and Operations

BachCIP: 5202

Median Debt

$27,000

Earnings (4yr)

$68,431

Natl Median: $68,257

Lifetime Value Added

+$52k

Chemistry

BachCIP: 4005

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $65,120

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Communication and Media Studies

BachCIP: 0901

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $56,359

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Criminal Justice and Corrections

BachCIP: 4301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

$45,560

Natl Median: $55,378

Lifetime Value Added

-$134k

Dance

BachCIP: 5003

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $39,980

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Design and Applied Arts

BachCIP: 5004

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,490

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Economics

BachCIP: 4506

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $82,686

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Education, General

BachCIP: 1301

Median Debt

$23,250

Earnings (4yr)

$47,488

Natl Median: $49,808

Lifetime Value Added

-$118k

English Language and Literature, General

BachCIP: 2301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,590

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies

BachCIP: 0502

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $51,710

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Fine and Studio Arts

BachCIP: 5007

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,367

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

History

BachCIP: 5401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $50,680

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

International Business

BachCIP: 5211

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $73,201

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities

BachCIP: 2401

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $53,072

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Mathematics

BachCIP: 2701

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $69,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Music

BachCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $42,892

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Natural Resources Conservation and Research

BachCIP: 0301

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,012

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Political Science and Government

BachCIP: 4510

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,293

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Psychology, General

BachCIP: 4201

Median Debt

$24,250

Earnings (4yr)

$49,464

Natl Median: $50,706

Lifetime Value Added

-$101k

Religion/Religious Studies

BachCIP: 3802

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $41,390

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies

BachCIP: 2313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,471

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics

BachCIP: 1609

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $55,000

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sociology

BachCIP: 4511

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $52,657

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness

BachCIP: 3105

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $54,562

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Post-Baccalaureate Certificates

Music

PB-CertCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $45,232

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Master's Degrees

Music

MastCIP: 5009

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $48,285

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Special Education and Teaching

MastCIP: 1310

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $64,397

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Student Counseling and Personnel Services

MastCIP: 1311

Median Debt

$51,305

Earnings (4yr)

$61,499

Natl Median: $60,111

Lifetime Value Added

-$132k

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods

MastCIP: 1312

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $59,916

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas

MastCIP: 1313

Median Debt

Earnings (4yr)

Natl Median: $63,707

Lifetime Value Added

N/A

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.