IU East vs. Salem State University

Should I go to Indiana University East or Salem State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if IU East or Salem State University is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

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Indiana University East vs. Salem State University comparison
Indiana University East Salem State University College 3 College 4
Salem State University
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Overview

IU East Salem State University
Location Richmond, IN Salem, MA
Setting Rural Fringe Large Suburban
Enrollment 3,039 6,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #855 #733
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website iue.edu salemstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

IU East Salem State University
Tuition (In State) $7,274 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $20,634 $7,050
Room & Board $9,412 $14,954
Avg Net Price $8,837 $19,277
Avg Grant Aid $7,874 $8,562
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 99%

Admission

IU East Salem State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,586 5,093
Admitted 1,230 4,719
Acceptance Rate 77.6% 92.7%
Enrolled % 28.4% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.41 3.17
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 18/26
SAT Range 960/1200 986/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Aug 18, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

IU East Salem State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (32%)
  • Health Professions (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Human Services (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

IU East Salem State University
Graduation Rate 19% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $32,900 $44,400
Making Student Loan Payments 40% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,500 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $211 $248

Diversity

IU East Salem State University
% Men 35% 31%
% Women 65% 69%
Racial Diversity Very Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 87% 68%
% Black 4% 9%
% Hispanic 3% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 1% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 2%

Students

IU East Salem State University
% In-State 74% 90%
% Out-of-State 25% 8%

Campus

IU East Salem State University
Campus Housing No Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan No Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than IU East based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 3,039 students)

IU East vs. Salem State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, IU East or Salem State University?

  • Indiana University East is 699.3% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($7,274.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 192.7% higher at IU East than Salem State University ($20,634.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University East than Salem State University ($8,837 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University East are 58.9% lower than costs at Salem State University ($9,412 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Indiana University East (99% vs. 93%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Salem State University students is 8.7% larger than aid received Indiana University East ($8,562 vs. $7,874)

IU East vs. Salem State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, IU East or Salem State University? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Salem State University or IU East .

  • Accepted freshman IU East students have a 0.24 point higher average high school GPA (3.41) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than IU East (77.6%)

IU East vs. Salem State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, IU East or Salem State University? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Salem State University and IU East.

  • The graduation rate at Salem State University is higher than Indiana University East (42% vs. 19%)
  • Graduates from Salem State University earn on average $11,500 more per year than IU East graduates after ten years. ($44,400 vs. $32,900)
  • Indiana University East students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Salem State University graduates. ($20,500 vs. $24,000)
  • IU East graduates are paying $37 less per month on federal student loans than Salem State University graduates. ($211 vs. $248)
  • More Salem State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU East students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 40%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/