Salem State University vs. Simon's Rock

Should I go to Salem State University or Bard College at Simon's Rock? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Salem State University or Simon's Rock 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 State University vs. Bard College at Simon's Rock comparison
Salem State University Bard College at Simon's Rock College 3 College 4
Salem State University Bard College at Simon's Rock
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Overview

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
Location Salem, MA Great Barrington, MA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 6,539 298
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #733
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu simons-rock.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
Tuition (In State) $910 $61,600
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $61,600
Room & Board $14,954 $17,200
Avg Net Price $19,277 $44,326
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $38,119
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 98%

Admission

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 154
Admitted 4,719 147
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 95.5%
Enrolled % 18.3% 63.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.54
Typical High School Grades B B+
Admissions Standards Moderate Unavailable
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 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 Jun 1, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 6:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (65%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • English and Literature (4%)
  • Social Sciences (4%)
  • General Studies (3%)

Outcomes

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
Graduation Rate 42% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $39,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 68%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $14,500
Median Loan Payment $248 $149

Diversity

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
% Men 31% 39%
% Women 69% 61%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 68% 54%
% Black 9% 4%
% Hispanic 12% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 6%
% International 3% 14%
% Unknown Race 2% 8%

Students

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
% In-State 90% 23%
% Out-of-State 8% 61%

Campus

 Salem State University Simon's Rock
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than Simon's Rock based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 298 students)

Salem State University vs. Simon's Rock Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Simon's Rock?

  • Bard College at Simon's Rock is 6,669.2% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($61,600.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 773.8% higher at Simon's Rock than Salem State University ($61,600.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salem State University than Simon's Rock ($19,277 vs. $44,326)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salem State University are 15% lower than costs at Bard College at Simon's Rock ($14,954 vs. $17,200)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Bard College at Simon's Rock (99% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Bard College at Simon's Rock students is 345.2% larger than aid received Salem State University ($38,119 vs. $8,562)

Salem State University vs. Simon's Rock Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Simon's Rock students have a 0.37 point higher average high school GPA (3.54) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Simon's Rock has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Salem State University (92.7%)

Salem State University vs. Simon's Rock Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Simon's Rock? 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 Simon's Rock and Salem State University.

  • Graduates from Salem State University earn on average $4,500 more per year than Simon's Rock graduates after ten years. ($44,400 vs. $39,900)
  • Bard College at Simon's Rock students graduate with a $9,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Salem State University graduates. ($14,500 vs. $24,000)
  • Simon's Rock graduates are paying $99 less per month on federal student loans than Salem State University graduates. ($149 vs. $248)
  • More Simon's Rock graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (68% vs. 63%)

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