Salem State University was established in 1854 as a Salem Normal School. It is a public university located in Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is governed by a board of 11 trustees. In fall, the university had a total enrollment of 7,242 full-time and part-time students including 5,716 undergraduates and 1,526 graduates. The student body comprises international students representing 48 countries willng to study in US

The university offers bachelor’s degrees in business, liberal arts and human services and master’s degrees in 24 subject areas. It also offers post-bachelor’s certificates and post-master’s certificates. Some popular disciplines include education, nursing, criminal justice, etc. Following a semester-based academic calendar, the university has a less selective admission policy. The retention rate of Salem State University is 73% while the overall graduation rate is 57%

Salem State University Rankings

The latest rankings of Salem State University are given below:

U.S. News and World Report

  • #125 in Best Regional Universities North
  • #44 in Top Public Schools in the Region
  • #36 in Top Performers on Social Mobility

THE World University Rankings

  • >600th in U.S. College Rankings 

Niche Best Colleges

The rankings of Salem State University in America, Massachusetts and Boston area are given below:

Parameters Rankings in America Rankings in Massachusetts Rankings in Boston area
Most Conservative Colleges #505 out of 1,674 #5 out of 59 -
Most Diverse Colleges #598 out of 1,589 #33 out of 56 -
Best Value Colleges #873 out of 1,572 #47 out of 59 #29 out of 36

Salem State University Campus

  • The University has well-equipped lecture halls and a modern library accompanied by a vibrant student center.
  • The Library has more than 1,000 seats, over 150 computer work stations, and 12 reservable group study rooms.
  • The University has a well-established Sports team called The Salem state Vikings by the Salem State University Department of Athletics and Recreation. It offers around 10 sports for both men and women.
  • In order for all-round development of the students, the university has 50+ clubs and societies, where the students can work on their passion and ignite their creativity.
  • For recreational purposes, The University has a fitness Centre and organizes group exercise class a week, the subscription form which can be taken along with the fitness center
  • The universities believe in making education assessable to all making sure they have similar campus experience as a normal would, and hence they have Disability services that coordinate services and accommodations with the students with disabilities.
  • It also has Counselling and Health services that are staffed by nurse practitioners, psychologists, etc.

Salem State University Residence

  • Around 2,000 students reside on the campus in 6 residential halls.
  • There are sperate halls for the first years and the seniors.
  • The amenities include lounges with televisions, pool tables, laundry, vending, and mailrooms.
  • The rooms are single occupancy to provide the students with their own personal space.
  • The furniture available inside per room typically includes- a bookshelf, concrete blocks and bricks, Inflatable and bean bag chairs, trunks, and waterbeds.
  • Weekly programs are held in the hall for students to develop social connections.
  • Free wifi is made available to all the residents.
  • The students living on campus have access to on-site faculty( faculty in residence).

Programs by Salem State University

  • The university offers a wide range of courses which include 32 undergraduate degree courses in liberal arts, human services, and business. It also provides graduate degrees in 24 fields.
  • Popular courses in the undergraduate majors include Applied Behaviour Analysis, Human Biology, History, Psychology, and Economics.
  • Most opted courses in Graduate degrees include MS Occupational Therapy, MA History, MS Organizational Psychology, and MS Behaviour Analysis.
  • The University also offers certain certificate courses at both the Undergraduate and Graduate levels. Undergraduate certificate courses include Dance Education, Music Technology, and Translation. The graduate-level includes Applied Behaviour Analysis, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Business, Geo-Information Science, and many more.
  • Salem State University also grants a license to professionally carry out Maths Fast Track and Teaching English Language to the speakers of other languages under their licensure programs.
  • The students of all the majors are eligible to join the Commonwealth honors Program which is aimed at promoting the dedicated and talented students by training under professional faculties. The students of honors also have access to honor only scholarships.

Salem State University Application Process

International students seeking admissions at the University can follow the below-mentioned admission details:

  • Application Portal: Online
  • Application fee: 50 USD
  • Application deadline:
Semester Summer Fall Spring
Freshmen May 1st March 1st November 1st
Transfer May August December

Application Procedure:

  • Fill in the Application form from the online portal.
  • Mail the transcripts to the university
  • Submit the test scores of SAT or ACT to Salem State University at the school code 3522.
  • For students who are from a country where the primary language is not English, need to submit Proof for English language proficiency.
  • The Proof of English Proficiency can be
    • TOEFL-iBT (Score of 71 or above)
    • TOEFL-PBT (Score of 54 or above)
    • TOEFL ITP ( 530 or above)
    • IELTS( 6 or above)
    • PTE Academic (49 or above)
    • Duolingo English test (68 or above)
    • Eiken (Pre-1)
  • Out of the 1,699 students enrolled in the first year for the Fall semester, 39.35% were students of color. The University has students from 56 countries, excluding America.
  • A minimum of 3.0 GPA is required for admission at Salem State University but for the students who have a lower GPA, this sliding scale applies:
GPA SAT (evidence-based reading and writing, and mathematics) ACT
2.51 - 2.99 990 19
2.41 - 2.50 1030 20
2.31 - 2.40 1070 21
2.21 - 2.30 1110 22
2.11 - 2.20 1140 23
2.00 - 2.10 1180 24

Documentation Required:

  • High School/ secondary school leaving certificate. The certificate should include the courses completed and their grading.
  • Transcripts
  • Test Scores required to study in US
  • Language proficiency proofs
  • Valid Passport
  • F-1 Student Visa

All the documents must be in English. If not originally, they should have a professional English translation.

Salem State University Cost of Attendance

The following provides an estimate of the cost of attending Salem State University. The table displays the different kinds of fees that an international student has to pay.

Tuition and Fees

Program Tuition and Fees per year (in USD)
Undergraduate 18,480
Graduate 10,377

Miscellaneous Fee

Expense Fee per year (in USD)
International Student Fee 750
Health Insurance 3,444
Other Charges (Books, Supplies, etc.) 3,000-4,000

Accommodation and Meal

Expense Fee per year (in USD)
Housing 9,190 – 12,160
Meal Plans 812 – 4,526

Financial Aid for International Students

International students at SSU are not eligible to avail of any financial aid, grant, etc. However, they can avail of financial assistance from private money lenders or family members, of which the university does not take any responsibility.

They can apply for private and external scholarships for international students to study in the USA.

The university does not provide any on-campus employment opportunities to international students, as all the campus job positions are filled by the resident students who work under the Federal Work-Study program.

Private Sources of Funding

Applying for scholarships to study in the US can be overwhelming due to their extensive application filing process. Here’s a brief list of research scholarship opportunities from private organizations both within the U.S. and India.

Alumni

  • After graduation, the students automatically become a member of the Salem State University Alumni Association.
  • The university gives certain perks to the Alumni which includes:
    • Subscription to Alumni Bookclub where the ex-students can read free books online.
    • Liberty Mutual Insurance Alumni Benefit
    • Pet Insurance
    • Alumni fitness center membership
    • Special offers on university organized travels.
    • Vision Insurance plans
  • The University organizes a number of events to maintain a good connection with its alumnus like Viking warrior day, Party on Mckeown Plaza, and Alumni Weekend.
  • The Salem State University also offers its alumni a number of awards and scholarships:
    • Alumni Rising star Award
    • Athletic Hall of Fame
    • Charlotte Forten legacy
    • Dr. Marilyn E. Flaherty Award
    • Elizabeth Williams Wade Award
    • George Ellison Volunteer of the Year Award
    • Northeast Educators Regional Hall of Fame
    • Outstanding Social worker Award
    • Salem state Alumni Association Scholarship.

Salem State University Placements

  • The university provides an Open Career Development Course from where the students can learn about all the aspects of career development like CV building etc. It has an online portal where the students can register themselves and learn through quick links.
  • The university has tied up with the online job searching platform Handshake’ on which the students can make a profile and explore through various Full time, Part-time jobs and Internships made available by more than 5,00,000 employers.
  • It has an Online platform ‘Focus 2’ on which the students can register and take a career, major, education planning assessment.

According to the U.S. News and World Report, the median salary of a fresh graduate stands at 46,200 USD per annum. As per a poll conducted by Niche, 87% of students feel confident about finding a job after graduation from Salem State University. The university organises frequent job exhibitions and seminars along with counselling services for its students.

FAQs

Ques. What is the acceptance rate of Salem State University?

Ans. Salem State University had an acceptance rate of 86% in fall.

Ques. Does Salem State University provide housing facilities to international students?

Ans. Yes, housing facilities are provided to international students. A total of six housing halls have been provided by the university where more than 2,500 students can be accommodated.

Ques. What is the undergraduate tuition for attending Salem State University?

Ans. The tuition fee for international undergraduates studying at Salem State University is 18,480 USD.

Ques. What is the graduate tuition for attending Salem State University?

Ans. The tuition fee for international graduate students is 10,377 USD.

Ques. How long does it take to get a response from Salem State University after submitting an application form?

Ans. After careful screening and examination of the submitted application, Salem State University usually replies to its applicants within 4-6 weeks of such receipt of application.

Ques. What is the structure of the academic calendar of Salem State University?

Ans. Salem State University follows a semester based academic calendar which conducts admission thrice in a year in Summer, Fall and Spring.

Ques. Are SAT/ ACT scores required for admission to Salem State University?

Ans. SAT or ACT scores are not required for admission to Salem State University.

Ques. What is the average ACT score required for admission to Salem State University?

Ans. The average ACT score is between 18 and 23 for international students ;

Ques. What is the average SAT score required for admission to Salem State University?

Ans. The average SAT score is between 970 and 1150 for international students ;

Ques. What is the application fee for international students applying to Salem State University?

Ans. An application fee of 50 USD is required for admission to Salem State University.

Ques. Who should I contact in case of admission related queries?

Ans. The candidate can contact the following handles in case of queries relating to admissions at the university 978.542.6200 or admissions@salemstate.edu.