About Salem State
Fact Book
The Salem State College Fact Book includes information that is derived from and aligns with data reported to external organizations like the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) through the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education through the Higher Education Information Resource System (HEIRS). It provides a single source summary of most of the information in those individual reports.
The Fact Book reports only the credit bearing activity of the college, non-credit activities provided by Salem State College are not reflected. It includes data about the entire college but no subunits other than graduate and undergraduate. The intention is to make the Fact Book available each spring adding annual activity for the previous year and current fall to the trends in the previous Fact Book.
Institutions have a wide variety of data and information needs. The Fact Book reflects data from comparable points in time, over time. The data can inform decision makers by delineating trends as well as providing context and perspective. Today's data collection and retrieval systems provide far more immediate information for operational decisions and the Fact Book should be used to supplement that data and for providing general information about the college.