Salem State University vs. Purdue Northwest

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

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
Location Salem, MA Hammond, Indiana
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 6,239 8,679
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #783
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu pnw.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
Tuition (In State) $910 $7,594
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $14,795
Room & Board $16,378 $9,097
Avg Net Price $19,324 $9,637
Avg Grant Aid $8,241 $6,420
% Receiving Grant Aid 98% 85%

Admission

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,852 6,394
Admitted 4,637 4,516
Acceptance Rate 95.6% 70.6%
Enrolled % 17.5% 26.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.19
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Very Easy Very Easy
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 16/25
SAT Range 990/1160 920/1140
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
Graduation Rate 42% -
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 N/A
Making Student Loan Payments 63% -
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 N/A
Median Loan Payment $248 N/A

Diversity

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
% Men 5% 4%
% Women 17% 5%
Racial Diversity Medium -
HBCU No No
% White 68% 0%
% Black 9% 0%
% Hispanic 12% 0%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 0%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 0%

Students

Salem State University Purdue Northwest
% In-State 90% 80%
% Out-of-State 8% 14%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Purdue University Northwest is larger than than Salem State University based on total student enrollment (8,679 students vs. 6,239 students)

Salem State University vs. Purdue Northwest Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Purdue Northwest?

  • Purdue University Northwest is 734.5% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($7,594.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 109.9% higher at Purdue Northwest than Salem State University ($14,795.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Northwest than Salem State University ($9,637 vs. $19,324)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Northwest are 80% lower than costs at Salem State University ($9,097 vs. $16,378)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Purdue University Northwest (98% vs. 85%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Salem State University students is 28.4% larger than aid received Purdue University Northwest ($8,241 vs. $6,420)

Salem State University vs. Purdue Northwest Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Purdue Northwest students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.19) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (95.6%) than Purdue Northwest (70.6%)

Salem State University vs. Purdue Northwest Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Purdue Northwest? 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 Purdue Northwest and Salem State University.

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