More selective than 35% of North Carolina colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $23,147. College Scorecard.
Higher than 43% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 36% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 43% of North Carolina colleges we cover and 26% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
WSSU acceptance rate & admissions
Of 9,273 applicants, Winston-Salem State University admitted 6,357 and 883 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 830–1020 on the SAT or 15–20 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
WSSU tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for North Carolina residents who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (in-state, federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
What WSSU costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Winston-Salem State University took 4.4 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in North Carolina. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $11,463 | $50,208 | 4.2 years |
| $30–48k | $12,412 | $54,365 | 4.6 years |
| $48–75k | $14,681 | $64,303 | 5.4 years |
| $75–110k | $18,813 | $82,401 | 7.0 years |
| $110k+ | $21,405 | $93,754 | 7.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (33% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($45,344) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,828 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
WSSU majors, earnings & careers
Winston-Salem State University offers 33 bachelor's majors across 9 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Humanities & Languages · 6
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 6
- Business & Finance · 5
- Health & Medicine · 5
- Education · 3
- Science & Math · 3
- Arts & Design · 2
- Technology & Computing · 2
- Communications & Media · 1
Highest-earning majors at WSSU
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $94,298 | $30,721 |
| Nursing | $84,952 | $24,082 |
| Accounting | $70,941 | $27,000 |
| Medical Laboratory Science | $70,450 | $25,361 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $63,562 | — |
| Social Work | $53,028 | $28,537 |
| Finance | $52,895 | — |
| Criminal Justice | $52,130 | $27,000 |
Quick list of all 33 majors
- Accounting$70,941
- Biology$47,527
- Business Administration$43,292
- Chemistry—
- Communications$34,786
- Computer and Information Sciences$63,562
- Computer Science$94,298
- Criminal Justice$52,130
- Economics—
- Education—
- Education (Elementary / Secondary)$51,520
- Education (Subject Teaching)—
- English—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Finance$52,895
- Gerontology—
- Health Administration$45,182
- History—
- Kinesiology / Exercise Science$43,313
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$42,020
- Marketing$45,930
- Mathematics—
- Medical Laboratory Science$70,450
- Music—
- Nursing$84,952
- Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$40,797
- Rehabilitation / Therapy Sciences$42,179
- Social Work$53,028
- Sociology$38,245
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Studio Art—
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Nursing → Registered nurse
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 5.6% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Winston
Overall prices in the Winston-Salem, NC area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,332. Housing costs 29% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 43 inches of rain a year, 6 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (relatively high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Forsyth County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Forsyth County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare WSSU with similar schools
Similar public colleges in North Carolina by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem State University | 78% | $13,479 | 47% | $45,344 | This school |
| Fayetteville State University | 82% | $7,892 | 38% | $40,144 | |
| North Carolina Central University | 87% | $15,359 | 42% | $42,968 | |
| University of North Carolina at Pembroke | 93% | $10,260 | 44% | $43,407 | |
| University of North Carolina Asheville | 92% | $12,250 | 54% | $44,030 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Winston-Salem State University would cost you $5,587 more per year than Fayetteville State University, on average.
- Higher sticker price at Winston-Salem State University, mostly from more Fayetteville State University students living at home, which lowers its average (+$2,394).
- Winston-Salem State University gives aided families $908 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, North Carolina resident | WSSU | Fayetteville State University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $6,126 | $4,353 | +$1,773 |
| Books & supplies | $1,690 | $420 | +$1,270 |
| Housing & meals | $11,484 | $11,302 | +$182 |
| Personal & travel | $3,492 | $2,616 | +$876 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | +$355 | −$2,039 | +$2,394 |
| Sticker price | $23,147 | $16,652 | +$6,495 |
| Average grants | −$9,668 | −$8,760 | −$908 |
| You pay | $13,479 | $7,892 | +$5,587 |
“+” means WSSU 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.
Common questions about WSSU
What is the WSSU acceptance rate?
Winston-Salem State University accepts 78% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 6,357 of 9,273 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 830–1020 on the SAT or 15–20 on the ACT.
How much does Winston-Salem State University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $23,147 a year for in-state students. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $13,479 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $11,463 and families earning $110k+ pay $21,405.
How much do WSSU graduates earn?
Former Winston-Salem State University students earn a median $45,344 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the WSSU graduation rate?
47% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 77% return for their second year.
How long does a WSSU degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Winston-Salem State University costs about $64,303 after grants ($14,681 a year for 4.4 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $45,344 ten years after starting, $11,828 more than high school graduates in North Carolina ($33,516), so the cost is repaid in 5.4 years of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Winston-Salem State University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/winston-salem-state-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).