Salem College — ROI, Cost & Payback
Salem College charges a net price of $18,277/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $73,108. Median earnings ten years after entry are $44,640, below the $48,360 high-school baseline, so on this institution-wide metric the degree does not clear its cost. Program choice is what changes that. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
On institution-wide earnings, Salem College does not clear its cost — it ranks #38 of 115 North Carolina colleges we track by ROI. The specific program you pick moves this more than the school average.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $18,277/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $73,108 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $44,640 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | -$3,720/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $26,649 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | does not clear | our math |
| 20-year net return | -$147,508 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
The arithmetic, on Salem College's own numbers. Net price $18,277 × 4 years = $73,108 total. Median earnings $44,640 fall $3,720 short of the $48,360 high-school baseline, so the premium this formula divides by is not positive and no break-even year exists on institution-wide pay. A programme here earning $58,360 would clear the $73,108 bill in about 7.3 years — the gap, not the price, is what blocks payback. Full method.
How much debt do Salem College students graduate with?
A median $26,649 in federal loans among completers, or 60% of the $44,640 its graduates earn ten years out — our math. The figure excludes private loans and students who left before finishing.
What share of Salem College students graduate?
57% finish their degree — 43% leave carrying the cost without the credential. Spread the $73,108 bill across that completion rate and the cohort pays $128,260 per graduate produced — our math, and the figure a payback number never shows.
Is Salem College expensive compared with other North Carolina colleges?
Its $18,277 net price runs $7,431 above the $10,846 median across the 115 North Carolina colleges we profile, or $29,724 more across the full degree.