University of Massachusetts-Boston vs. Salem State University

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

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
Location Boston, MA Salem, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 15,586 6,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #448 #733
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umb.edu salemstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
Tuition (In State) $14,542 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $35,515 $7,050
Room & Board $16,896 $14,954
Avg Net Price $17,123 $19,277
Avg Grant Aid $11,104 $8,562
% Receiving Grant Aid 99% 99%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 19,512 5,093
Admitted 15,757 4,719
Acceptance Rate 80.8% 92.7%
Enrolled % 15.5% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.35 3.17
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Challenging Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 24/29
SAT Range 1080/1300 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 Feb 15, 2025 Jun 1, 2025

Academics

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 16:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Psychology (11%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
Graduation Rate 40% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $51,200 $44,400
Making Student Loan Payments 58% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,060 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $228 $248

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
% Men 41% 31%
% Women 59% 69%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 36% 68%
% Black 16% 9%
% Hispanic 14% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 12% 3%
% Unknown Race 7% 2%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Boston Salem State University
% In-State 78% 90%
% Out-of-State 14% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Boston is larger than than Salem State University based on total student enrollment (15,586 students vs. 6,539 students)

University of Massachusetts-Boston vs. Salem State University Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Massachusetts-Boston or Salem State University?

  • University of Massachusetts Boston is 1,498% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($14,542.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 403.8% higher at University of Massachusetts-Boston than Salem State University ($35,515.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Boston than Salem State University ($17,123 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Salem State University are 13% lower than costs at University of Massachusetts Boston ($14,954 vs. $16,896)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Massachusetts Boston as Salem State University (99% vs. 99%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Boston students is 29.7% larger than aid received Salem State University ($11,104 vs. $8,562)

University of Massachusetts-Boston vs. Salem State University Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Boston students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.35) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than University of Massachusetts-Boston (80.8%)

University of Massachusetts-Boston vs. Salem State University Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Boston or Salem State 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 Salem State University and University of Massachusetts-Boston.

  • The graduation rate at Salem State University is higher than University of Massachusetts Boston (42% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Boston earn on average $6,800 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($51,200 vs. $44,400)
  • University of Massachusetts Boston students graduate with a $1,940 lower median federal student loan debt than Salem State University graduates. ($22,060 vs. $24,000)
  • University of Massachusetts-Boston graduates are paying $20 less per month on federal student loans than Salem State University graduates. ($228 vs. $248)
  • More Salem State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Boston students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 58%)

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