Salem College vs. BC

Should I go to Salem College or Bridgewater College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Salem College or BC 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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Salem College vs. Bridgewater College comparison
Salem College Bridgewater College College 3 College 4
Salem College Bridgewater College
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Overview

 Salem College BC
Location Winston Salem, NC Bridgewater, VA
Setting Midsize City Small Suburban
Enrollment 469 1,421
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #676
Religious Affiliation Moravian Church Church of Brethren - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salem.edu bridgewater.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Salem College BC
Tuition (In State) $30,500 $38,800
Tuition (Out of State) $30,500 $38,800
Room & Board $12,300 $13,830
Avg Net Price $18,354 $19,332
Avg Grant Aid $30,048 $34,142
% Receiving Grant Aid 100% 100%

Admission

 Salem College BC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 1,159 3,402
Admitted 1,014 3,074
Acceptance Rate 87.5% 90.4%
Enrolled % 9% 13.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.3 3.61
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very Easy Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 17/21 22/28
SAT Range 1053/1200 1020/1230
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

 Salem College BC
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (20%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Business (17%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (13%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Work and Family Studies (8%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Salem College BC
Graduation Rate 53% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $35,000 $43,100
Making Student Loan Payments 53% 77%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $279 $279

Diversity

 Salem College BC
% Men 3% 48%
% Women 97% 52%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 55% 73%
% Black 22% 11%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 5%
% International 1% 1%
% Unknown Race 4% 4%

Students

 Salem College BC
% In-State 78% 73%
% Out-of-State 22% 24%

Campus

 Salem College BC
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Bridgewater College is larger than than Salem College based on total student enrollment (1,421 students vs. 469 students)

Salem College vs. BC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem College or BC?

  • Bridgewater College is 27.2% more expensive to attend than Salem College for in-state tuition ($38,800.00 vs. $30,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.2% higher at BC than Salem College ($38,800.00 vs. $30,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salem College than BC ($18,354 vs. $19,332)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salem College are 12.4% lower than costs at Bridgewater College ($12,300 vs. $13,830)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at Salem College as Bridgewater College (100% vs. 100%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bridgewater College students is 13.6% larger than aid received Salem College ($34,142 vs. $30,048)

Salem College vs. BC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Salem College (1119) is 85 points higher than at BC (1034)
  • Incoming Salem College students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (25) than students at BC (24)
  • Accepted freshman BC students have a 0.31 point higher average high school GPA (3.61) than students at Salem College (3.3)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (90.4%) than Salem College (87.5%)

Salem College vs. BC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem College or BC? 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 BC and Salem College.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Salem College (59% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from Bridgewater College earn on average $8,100 more per year than Salem College graduates after ten years. ($43,100 vs. $35,000)
  • Bridgewater College and Salem College graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($27,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Bridgewater College and Salem College graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($279 vs. $279)
  • More BC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem College students, three years after graduation. (77% vs. 53%)

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