University of Massachusetts-Lowell vs. Salem State University

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

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Salem State University
Location Lowell, MA Salem, MA
Setting Large Suburban Large Suburban
Enrollment 17,153 6,539
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #406 #733
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uml.edu salemstate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Salem State University
Tuition (In State) $15,462 $910
Tuition (Out of State) $33,830 $7,050
Room & Board $13,930 $14,954
Avg Net Price $17,240 $19,277
Avg Grant Aid $11,983 $8,562
% Receiving Grant Aid 82% 99%

Admission

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Salem State University
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,253 5,093
Admitted 10,532 4,719
Acceptance Rate 86% 92.7%
Enrolled % 18.4% 18.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.67 3.17
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Difficult Moderate
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 25/31
SAT Range 1170/1348 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-Lowell Salem State University
Student to Faculty Ratio 17:1 12:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (18%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (13%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (17%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (7%)

Outcomes

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Salem State University
Graduation Rate 50% 42%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $44,400
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $24,000
Median Loan Payment $258 $248

Diversity

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Salem State University
% Men 57% 31%
% Women 43% 69%
Racial Diversity Medium Medium
HBCU No No
% White 64% 68%
% Black 6% 9%
% Hispanic 10% 12%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 3%
% International 4% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

University of Massachusetts-Lowell Salem State University
% In-State 87% 90%
% Out-of-State 10% 8%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is larger than than Salem State University based on total student enrollment (17,153 students vs. 6,539 students)

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

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

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell is 1,599.1% more expensive to attend than Salem State University for in-state tuition ($15,462.00 vs. $910.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 379.9% higher at University of Massachusetts-Lowell than Salem State University ($33,830.00 vs. $7,050.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Massachusetts Lowell than Salem State University ($17,240 vs. $19,277)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Massachusetts Lowell are 7.4% lower than costs at Salem State University ($13,930 vs. $14,954)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Salem State University than University of Massachusetts Lowell (99% vs. 82%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Massachusetts Lowell students is 40% larger than aid received Salem State University ($11,983 vs. $8,562)

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

Which college is harder to get into, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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-Lowell .

  • Accepted freshman University of Massachusetts-Lowell students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.67) than students at Salem State University (3.17)
  • Salem State University has a higher acceptance rate (92.7%) than University of Massachusetts-Lowell (86%)

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

Which is better, University of Massachusetts-Lowell 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-Lowell.

  • The graduation rate at University of Massachusetts-Lowell is higher than Salem State University (50% vs. 42%)
  • Graduates from University of Massachusetts Lowell earn on average $10,900 more per year than Salem State University graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $44,400)
  • Salem State University students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($24,000 vs. $25,000)
  • Salem State University graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than University of Massachusetts-Lowell graduates. ($248 vs. $258)
  • More Salem State University graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Massachusetts-Lowell students, three years after graduation. (63% vs. 63%)

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