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Academics

Salem State University
Academics

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How strong are the academics at Salem State University?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

12:1
Student to faculty ratio
19
Average class size
36%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

Salem State has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 12:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
153
10-19
409
20-29
403
30-39
73
40-49
3
50-99
1

Honors Programs

Salem State University has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on Salem State's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at Salem State University:

75%
First-year retention rate
36%
4-year grad rate
50%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are Salem State University's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse
Psychology, General
Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration
Biology/Biological Sciences, General
Business Administration and Management, General
16.8
48.24
79.68
111.12
142.56
174

The Full List

Major Graduates
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General 53
  • Biomedical Sciences, General 2
  • Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography 2
  • Biochemistry 2
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 0
  • Environmental Biology 0
  • Biotechnology 0
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 43
  • Marketing/Marketing Management, General 30
  • Finance, General 28
  • Accounting 19
  • Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General 11
  • Entrepreneurship/Entrepreneurial Studies 8
  • International Business/Trade/Commerce 7
  • Hospitality Administration/Management, General 7
  • Accounting and Finance 7
  • Management Science 6
  • Management Information Systems, General 2
  • Tourism and Travel Services Management 1
Communication
  • Public Relations/Image Management 6
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 6
  • Journalism 5
  • Advertising 3
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 3
  • Journalism 1
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer and Information Sciences, General 18
  • Information Technology 7
Education
  • Education, General 38
  • Early Childhood Education and Teaching 36
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 16
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 11
  • Spanish Language Teacher Education 0
  • History Teacher Education 0
  • Drama and Dance Teacher Education 0
  • Physical Education Teaching and Coaching 0
  • Art Teacher Education 0
  • Secondary Education and Teaching 0
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 33
  • Professional, Technical, Business, and Scientific Writing 4
  • Creative Writing 3
  • Creative Writing 1
  • English Language and Literature, General 1
Foreign Languages
  • Spanish Language and Literature 4
  • Spanish Language and Literature 2
  • Italian Language and Literature 1
  • French Language and Literature 1
  • Language Interpretation and Translation 0
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 174
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 36
  • Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other 17
  • Occupational Therapy/Therapist 9
  • Nuclear Medical Technology/Technologist 4
  • Health/Health Care Administration/Management 1
  • Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist 0
  • Athletic Training/Trainer 0
History
  • History, General 13
  • Public/Applied History 5
  • European History 4
  • American History (United States) 2
  • Public/Applied History 1
  • History, General 1
  • History, Other 0
Homeland Security
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 80
  • Fire Services Administration 11
  • Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 3
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • General Studies 4
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 3
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 2
  • Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities, Other 0
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 4
  • Mathematics, General 2
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution 1
Parks
  • Sport and Fitness Administration/Management 12
  • Exercise Science and Kinesiology 11
  • Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 9
  • Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General 1
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 0
Physical Sciences
  • Chemistry, General 4
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 3
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 88
  • Psychology, General 9
  • Applied Behavior Analysis 6
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Social Work 42
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 12
  • Geography 11
  • Sociology, General 9
  • American Government and Politics (United States) 4
  • Sociology, General 2
  • Geographic Information Science and Cartography 2
  • Economics, General 2
  • Economics, General 1
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Acting 19
  • Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology 9
  • Commercial and Advertising Art 7
  • Painting 3
  • Dance, General 2
  • Dance, General 2
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 2
  • Printmaking 1
  • Music, General 1
  • Music, General 1
  • Playwriting and Screenwriting 1
  • Directing and Theatrical Production 1
  • Painting 1
  • Acting 1
  • Sculpture 1
  • Art/Art Studies, General 0
  • Photography 0
  • Drawing 0
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 0
  • Design and Applied Arts, Other 0
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