Salem State University vs. Ship

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

Salem State University Ship
Location Salem, MA Shippensburg, PA
Setting Large Suburban Distant Town
Enrollment 6,539 5,162
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #733 #666
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website salemstate.edu ship.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Salem State University Ship
Tuition (In State) $910 $9,570
Tuition (Out of State) $7,050 $10,048
Room & Board $14,954 $11,538
Avg Net Price $19,277 $21,462
Avg Grant Aid $8,562 $7,593
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 91%

Admission

Salem State University Ship
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 5,093 6,367
Admitted 4,719 5,590
Acceptance Rate 92.7% 87.8%
Enrolled % 18.3% 19.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.17 3.23
Typical High School Grades B B
Admissions Standards Moderate Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range
SAT Range 986/1210 980/1210
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025

Academics

Salem State University Ship
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Education (13%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (6%)
  • Social Sciences (6%)

Outcomes

Salem State University Ship
Graduation Rate 42% 60%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $44,400 $47,200
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 72%
Median Student Loan Debt $24,000 $25,000
Median Loan Payment $248 $258

Diversity

Salem State University Ship
% Men 31% 47%
% Women 69% 53%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 68% 78%
% Black 9% 10%
% Hispanic 12% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 3% 0%
% Unknown Race 2% 1%

Students

Salem State University Ship
% In-State 90% 90%
% Out-of-State 8% 10%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Salem State University is larger than than Ship based on total student enrollment (6,539 students vs. 5,162 students)

Salem State University vs. Ship Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Salem State University or Ship?

  • Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania is 951.6% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($9,570.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 42.5% higher at Ship than Salem State University ($10,048.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Salem State University than Ship ($19,277 vs. $21,462)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania are 29.6% lower than costs at Salem State University ($11,538 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania (99% vs. 91%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Salem State University students is 12.8% larger than aid received Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania ($8,562 vs. $7,593)

Salem State University vs. Ship Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman Ship students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.23) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than Ship (87.8%)

Salem State University vs. Ship Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Salem State University or Ship? 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 Ship and Salem State University.

  • The graduation rate at Ship is higher than Salem State University (60% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania earn on average $2,800 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($47,200 vs. $44,400)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Ship graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Ship graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Ship graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Salem State University students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 63%)

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