Salem State University vs. Holy Family University

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

Salem State University Holy Family University
Location Salem, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 6,239 3,148
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #783 #611
Religious Affiliation - Roman Catholic - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu holyfamily.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Holy Family University
Tuition (In State) $910 $32,768
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $32,768
Room & Board $16,378 $14,694
Avg Net Price $19,324 $13,016
Avg Grant Aid $8,241 $25,862
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 100%

Admission

Salem State University Holy Family University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,852 2,653
Admitted 4,637 1,969
Acceptance Rate 95.6% 74.2%
Enrolled % 17.5% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.13
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range
SAT Range 990/1160 950/1130
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, 2026

Academics

Salem State University Holy Family University
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Health Professions (30%)
  • Business (22%)
  • Education (20%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (4%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Holy Family University
Graduation Rate 42% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $51,000
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $27,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $279

Diversity

Salem State University Holy Family University
% Men 5% 5%
% Women 17% 18%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 68% 62%
% Black 9% 9%
% Hispanic 12% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 18%

Students

Salem State University Holy Family University
% In-State 90% 88%
% Out-of-State 8% 11%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than Holy Family University based on total student enrollment (6,239 students vs. 3,148 students)

Salem State University vs. Holy Family University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Holy Family University?

  • Holy Family University is 3,500.9% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($32,768.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 364.8% higher at Holy Family University than Salem State University ($32,768.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Holy Family University than Salem State University ($13,016 vs. $19,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Holy Family University are 11.5% lower than costs at Salem State University ($14,694 vs. $16,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Holy Family University than Salem State University (100% vs. 98%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Holy Family University students is 213.8% larger than aid received Salem State University ($25,862 vs. $8,241)

Salem State University vs. Holy Family University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Salem State University students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.17) than students at Holy Family University (3.13)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than Holy Family University (74.2%)

Salem State University vs. Holy Family University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Holy Family 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 Holy Family University and Salem State University.

  • The graduation rate at Holy Family University is higher than Salem State University (61% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Holy Family University earn on average $6,600 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($51,000 vs. $44,400)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Holy Family University graduates. ($24,000 vs. $27,000)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than Holy Family University graduates. ($248 vs. $279)
  • More Holy Family University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (64% vs. 63%)

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