Salem State University vs. Castleton State College

Should I go to Salem State University or Castleton State College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Salem State University or Castleton State College 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Salem State University vs. Castleton State College comparison
Salem State University Castleton State College College 3 College 4
Salem State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Salem State University Castleton State College
Location Salem, MA Castleton, VT
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 6,539 2,363
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #733 #783
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu castleton.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Castleton State College
Tuition (In State) $910 $11,832
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $28,800
Room & Board $14,954 $12,404
Avg Net Price $19,277 $16,791
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $13,007
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 100%

Admission

Salem State University Castleton State College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 3,115
Admitted 4,719 2,508
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 80.5%
Enrolled % 18.3% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.17
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/26
SAT Range 986/1210 970/1210
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

Academics

Salem State University Castleton State College
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Castleton State College
Graduation Rate 42% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $37,600
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $258

Diversity

Salem State University Castleton State College
% Men 31% 40%
% Women 69% 60%
Racial Diversity Medium Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 83%
% Black 9% 2%
% Hispanic 12% 2%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 2%
% International 3% 3%
% Unknown Race 2% 6%

Students

Salem State University Castleton State College
% In-State 90% 43%
% Out-of-State 8% 51%

Campus

Salem State University Castleton State College
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 Castleton State College based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 2,363 students)

Salem State University vs. Castleton State College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Castleton State College?

  • Castleton State College is 1,200.2% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($11,832.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 308.5% higher at Castleton State College than Salem State University ($28,800.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Castleton State College than Salem State University ($16,791 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Castleton State College are 20.6% lower than costs at Salem State University ($12,404 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Castleton State College than Salem State University (100% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Castleton State College students is 51.9% larger than aid received Salem State University ($13,007 vs. $8,562)

Salem State University vs. Castleton State College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Salem State University students have at the same average high school GPA (3.17) as students at Castleton State College (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Castleton State College (80.5%)

Salem State University vs. Castleton State College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Castleton State College? 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 Castleton State College and Salem State University.

  • The graduation rate at Castleton State College is higher than Salem State University (47% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Salem State University earn on average $6,800 more per year than Castleton State College graduates after ten years. ($44,400 vs. $37,600)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Castleton State College graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Castleton State College graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Castleton State College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 63%)

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