Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,291. College Scorecard.
Net price by family income
Average after grants and scholarships for Massachusetts residents receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year
Sticker price, line by line
| Per year, living on campus | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,338 | $19,531 |
| Housing & meals | $16,378 | $16,378 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Personal & travel | $1,784 | $1,784 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,409 | −$3,409 |
| Total cost of attendance | $28,291 | $35,484 |
Cost items: IPEDS 2023-24, on-campus budget. Total: College Scorecard, which averages students living on and off campus; the adjustment row reconciles the two. Out-of-state total = in-state total with out-of-state tuition.
Debt after graduation
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
Who gets aid
College Scorecard
Need-based and merit aid at Salem State University
What Salem State University reported for full-time first-year students in fall 2025. Merit aid is the money net price averages miss for families who don't qualify for need-based aid.
If you qualify for need-based aid
If you don't qualify for need-based aid
Items H2-H2A. Common Data Set 2025-26 (fall 2025 first-year students), published by the college.
Salem State University net price compared with other Massachusetts colleges
Salem State University has the 5th-lowest average net price of 67 Massachusetts colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Avg. net price | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester State University | $13,381 | 61% | $60,624 |
| 2 | Fitchburg State University | $14,262 | 55% | $53,874 |
| 3 | Bay Path University | $14,271 | 44% | $55,383 |
| 4 | Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology | $15,488 | 46% | $57,556 |
| 5 | Salem State University | $15,996 | 50% | $56,662 |
| 6 | Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts | $16,068 | 56% | $48,102 |
| 7 | Framingham State University | $16,114 | 48% | $52,349 |
| 8 | Bridgewater State University | $16,383 | 53% | $57,466 |
| 9 | Westfield State University | $16,721 | 54% | $57,346 |
College Scorecard, latest year. Average for all aided students; your price depends on income. All Massachusetts colleges →
Why Salem State University costs more or less than similar schools
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem State University | 96% | $15,996 | 50% | $56,662 | This school |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 91% | $20,927 | 52% | $68,804 | |
| Worcester State University | 88% | $13,381 | 61% | $60,624 | |
| Westfield State University | 81% | $16,721 | 54% | $57,346 | |
| Fitchburg State University | 87% | $14,262 | 55% | $53,874 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Salem State University would cost you $4,931 less per year than University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Salem State University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$3,274).
- University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth gives aided families $263 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Massachusetts resident | Salem State University | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $12,338 | $15,612 | −$3,274 |
| Books & supplies | $1,200 | $1,400 | −$200 |
| Housing & meals | $16,378 | $17,940 | −$1,562 |
| Personal & travel | $1,784 | $1,772 | +$12 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$3,409 | −$3,239 | −$170 |
| Sticker price | $28,291 | $33,485 | −$5,194 |
| Average grants | −$12,295 | −$12,558 | +$263 |
| You pay | $15,996 | $20,927 | −$4,931 |
“+” means Salem State University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Salem State University cost questions
How much is tuition at Salem State University?
Tuition and fees are $12,338 a year for Massachusetts residents and $19,531 for out-of-state students.
What is the total cost of attending Salem State University?
The total cost of attendance, including housing, meals, books and personal costs, is $28,291 a year for Massachusetts residents living on campus and about $35,484 for out-of-state students.
What do families actually pay at Salem State University?
After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $15,996 a year on average. Families earning $0–30k pay $10,516; $48–75k pay $13,821; $110k+ pay $23,223. These figures are for Massachusetts residents.
Does Salem State University give merit scholarships?
For fall 2025, 158 full-time first-year students with no financial need received merit scholarships or grants from Salem State University, averaging $2,360 (Common Data Set 2025-26, excluding athletic awards). Students with need had 75% of it met on average.
How much debt do Salem State University graduates have?
The median federal loan debt at graduation is $19,500, and 5.9% of borrowers defaulted within three years of entering repayment (2017 cohort).
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By). Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote; confirm with the school's net price calculator. Back to Salem State University overview