Salem College
Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Private · 423 undergraduates · salem.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
77%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1066 to 1243
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$62,150Est.Estimate
before aid
Your chances and merit aid at Salem College
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
77% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$62,150
a year in 2027-28, from a $62,150 sticker price
What to do with your 1150
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1150).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Reviews applications as they arrive, so applying early helps.
Source: Admission FAQs | Salem College · Checked October 17, 2026
Who gets in
77%
of applicants are admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above.
SAT total 1066 to 1243
Reading and Writing 553 to 643
Math 513 to 600
ACT composite 16 to 22
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$62,150
a year
- Tuition$38,070
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24, by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$19,359
- $30,001 to $48,000$16,789
- $48,001 to $75,000$17,157
- $75,001 to $110,000$18,753
- Over $110,000$22,850
Financial aidEstimate
100%
of freshmen receive grants
$30,001
average grant to freshmen
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
30 of 30
Earn credit with a score of 3
9 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $3,810Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ARTS 020 or 111 pending review |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 4 | ARTS 020 or 111 pending review |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | ARTH 121 or 122 pending interview |
| Biology | 3 | 4 | BIOL 010 |
| Biology | 4 | 4 | BIOL 100 |
| Calculus AB | 3 | 4 | MATH 100 |
| Calculus BC | 1 | 4 | MATH 100 with CALC AB subscore of 3 |
| Calculus BC | 3 | 8 | MATH 100 & 101 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 0 | Placement out of CHEM 110 |
| Chemistry | 4 | 8 | CHEM 110 & 120 |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POLI 100 |
| Computer Science A | 3 | 3 | CPSC 110 |
| Drawing | 4 | 4 | ARTS 020 or 111 pending review |
| English Language and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 000 |
| English Literature and Composition | 4 | 3 | ENGL 000 |
| Environmental Science | 3 | 3 | ENVS 100 |
| European History | 4 | 6 | HIST 103 & 104 |
| French Language and Culture | 3 | Placement out of FREN 030 | |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 3 | FREN 105 |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | SOSC 000 |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 100 (minimum score of 4 on BOTH tests required to earn credit) |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | ECON 100 with score of 4 or 5 in BOTH Economics MACRO/MICRO exams |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | MUSI 119 |
| Physics 1 | 3 | 3 | ELEC 000L (lab science gen educ requirement |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 3 | 3 | PHYS 220 |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 3 | 3 | PHYS 210 |
| Pre-Calculus | 3 | 4 | MATH 025 |
| Psychology | 4 | 4 | PSYC 010 |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | Placement out of SPAN 030 | |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 7 | SPAN 105 & 206 *For students who earn a score of 4 or 5 on both the Spanish Language and Spanish Literature exams, credit will be granted for SPAN 105, 206, and 209. |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | Placement out of SPAN 030 | |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | SPAN 206 & 209 *For students who earn a score of 4 or 5 on both the Spanish Language and Spanish Literature exams, credit will be granted for SPAN 105, 206, and 209. |
| Statistics | 4 | 4 | INTG 115 |
| United States Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | POLI 120 |
| United States History | 4 | 6 | HIST 105 & 106 |
| World History: Modern | 4 | 6 | HIST 103 & 104 |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
31%
Come back for a second year
68%
Typical earnings
$50,734
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Salem College$49,346
- All colleges$51,407
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 5 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Salem College. The Salem College logo is a trademark of the college.