About Salem State

Facts & Figures

President
Dr. Patricia Maguire Meservey

The University
Salem State University, established in 1854 as Salem Normal School, is a comprehensive, publicly supported institution of higher learning located approximately 15 miles north of Boston, Massachusetts. Salem State enrolls approximately 9,700 undergraduate and graduate students representing 33 states and 51 foreign countries, and is one of the largest state universities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Governance
Salem State is governed by an 11-person board of trustees. Nine trustees are appointed by the governor for five-year terms, renewable once; one alumni trustee is elected by the alumni association for a five-year term, renewable once; and a student trustee is elected by the student body for one year.

Tuition and Fees (AY12-13)
Undergraduate day students (12 credits/semester):
Full-time, in-state                 
$8,110 per year

Full-time, out-of-state   
$14,250 per year
(12 credits/semester)

Undergraduate evening students
In-state   
$810 per course

Out-of-state 
$915 per course

Undergraduate room and board begins at $4,592 per semester.

Graduate students:
In-state   
$990 per three credit course

Out-of-state 
$1,260 per three credit course

Graduate students are not housed on campus.

Students (Fall 2011)

From 33 states and 51 countries:

Degree Seeking:

• Total Undergraduate: 7,704
• Incoming freshmen: 1,005
• Incoming transfer: 868
• Returning: 5,831

• Graduate and Professional: 1,402

 Non-degree: 540

 Number of Students Grand total: 9,646

Degree Seeking Undergraduates:

• Percent female: 61.0%
• Percent Hispanic: 9.8%
• Percent Black: 8.7%
• Percent Asian: 3.2%
• Percent two or more races: 2.0%
• Percent first-generation (incoming students): 31%

Fields of Study (Fall 2011)

Undergraduate Top Five Majors:

1. Business Administration
2. Nursing
3. Psychology
4. Criminal Justice
5. Education

Graduate Top Five Majors:

1. Master of Education (M.Ed)
2. Social Work (MSW)
3. Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT)
4. Nursing (MSN)
5. Counseling and Psychological Services (MS)

Degrees (2010-11)

• Baccalaureate: 1,330
• Masters: 527
• Total degrees: 1,857

• Certificates: 33

Faculty and Staff (Fall 2011)

• Grand total: 1,376
• Total faculty: 761
• Full time: 337
• Part time: 424
• Total Non-faculty: 615
• Full time: 502
• Part time: 113

Campus Life (Fall 2011)

• Five campuses on 115 acres
• Five residence halls housing 2,000 students
• A new library and learning commons is under construction and will open in fall 2013
• A new fitness and recreation center is also under construction and will open in the fall 2013

Undergraduates in housing:

• Total full-time undergraduate: 33%
• First year freshman: 68%
• Other first year: 39%
• Second year: 38%
• Third year: 23%
• Fourth year: 12%

Sources

• Value of endowment (June 30, 2011): $18.2m
• Revenues (FY10): $115.6m
• From tuition and fees: 41%
• From state appropriations: 32%
• From other: 26%
• Undergraduate tuition and fees (in-state): $8,110
• Undergraduate evening tuition and fees (in-state, per 3-credits): $810
• Room and Board (average double-occupancy, per semester): $4,592 
• Graduate tuition and fees (in-state, per 3-credits): $990

Student Financial Support

• Freshmen filing for financial aid: 91%
• Freshmen filers receiving any grant aid: 78%
• Average grant: $6,528
• Freshmen filers receiving SSU grant aid: 44%
• Average SSU grant: $1,876

Athletics
Salem State offers its students a chance to compete in intramural athletic clubs and in a variety of competitive intercollegiate conferences.

Salem State fields men's and women's teams in 17 sports.
Athletic teams compete in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III, the Little East Conference (LEC), the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC), the National Collegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA) Division III, and the New England College Athletic Conference (NECAC).

Salem State offers two different spirit groups, basketball and ice hockey cheerleading, and the dance team.

Intercollegiate Sports:

• Baseball (m)
• Basketball (m/w)
• Cross Country (m/w)
• Field Hockey (w)
• Golf (m)
• Ice Hockey (m)
• Lacrosse (m/w)
• Soccer (m/w)
• Softball (w)
• Tennis (m/w)
• Volleyball (w)
• Club Ice Hockey (w)

• New England's 2008 Sociologist of the Year (The New England Sociological Association)
• Recipient of the Massachusetts Mental Health Counselors Association's Counselor Educator of the Year Award
• Eleven recent Fulbright Scholars

Academics

• Undergraduate student/faculty ratio: 16 to 1
• 29 majors and 59 minors
• More accreditations than any other public institution of higher education in Massachusetts
• Accredited by both the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Part of the Leadership Program of the Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• A recipient of the Commonwealth Honors designation for its honors program
• Active cultivation of academic partnerships with colleges and universities throughout the world, including China, Japan and the Middle East

Impact on the Region
Salem State University is an educational, economic and cultural contributor to the city of Salem, Essex County and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In fiscal year 2010, the university generated over $562 million in direct and indirect spending in Massachusetts. The regional impact on Essex County reached over $296 million, including an impact of over $104 million on the city of Salem. The economic impact of Salem State University on the state, region and city is derived directly from employee salaries and benefits, purchased goods and services, and student spending.

Civic Engagement
Our university community is engaged: 

• Students, faculty, staff and alumni participate in a multitude of civic engagement activities in Salem, the greater North Shore region, and throughout Massachusetts each year. 
• Partnering organizations include but are not limited to: Danvers Historical Society, Greater Salem Boys & Girls Club, Haiti Relief Efforts, Lifebridge (Salem), Metrowest Humane Society (Ashland), Salem Sound Coastwatch, YMCA of the North Shore (Beverly), and Youth Opportunities Upheld, Inc. (Worcester).
• The university’s green commitment extends beyond reducing its negative environmental impacts to enhancing its positive impact by instilling sustainable ideals in the students, staff and faculty. Highlights of our efforts to lessen energy use and improve the environment include: new construction must be eligible for LEED® certification; retrofitting light fixtures with high efficiency models; replacing old heating and cooling controls; maintaining a paper recycling program; restoring the Central Campus tidal marsh channels to boost salinity and water flow; and the soft shell clam propagation and reseeding efforts at Cat Cove. 
• Salem State established a Center for Economic Development and Sustainability to provide resources, research opportunities and data relevant to the economic development and sustainability of the North Shore region.