The average acceptance rate at Salem State over the past 10 years is 86.15%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 95.88%. The acceptance rate at Salem State is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The acceptance rate has increased each year for the past 8 years, indicating decreasing selectivity.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 19.70%, and the 2025 yield is 11.25%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 60.18% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of Salem State applicants increased by 63.91% (3,101 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 54.01% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 95.88%, showing a decreasing selectivity trend. This suggests that Salem State is admitting a higher proportion of applicants, which may indicate either an increase in application quality or a strategic enrollment decision by the institution.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 11.25%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at Salem State. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, Salem State received approximately 7,953 applications, admitted 7,625 students, and enrolled 858 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that Salem State is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
Salem State 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at Salem State over the past decade show a pattern of decreasing selectivity, with the acceptance rate rising year-over-year for 8 consecutive years. The average acceptance rate over this period is 86.15%, while the most recent rate stands at 95.88%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 95.88%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 83.05% and for women is 87.53%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at Salem State have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 74.90% | 72.45% | 76.13% |
| 2016-17 | 73.58% -1.32% |
73.06% 0.62% |
73.82% -2.31% |
| 2017-18 | 81.91% 8.33% |
77.93% 4.87% |
83.82% 10.00% |
| 2018-19 | 84.70% 2.79% |
81.34% 3.41% |
86.16% 2.34% |
| 2019-20 | 85.58% 0.88% |
81.15% -0.20% |
87.55% 1.39% |
| 2020-21 | 86.75% 1.17% |
81.06% -0.08% |
89.24% 1.69% |
| 2021-22 | 90.00% 3.25% |
85.03% 3.96% |
91.99% 2.75% |
| 2022-23 | 92.66% 2.66% |
89.13% 4.11% |
94.18% 2.19% |
| 2023-24 | 95.57% 2.91% |
94.77% 5.64% |
95.94% 1.76% |
| 2024-25 | 95.88% 0.31% |
94.55% -0.22% |
96.47% 0.54% |
| Average | 86.15% | 83.05% | 87.53% |
Salem State has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 28.26% in 2015 to 11.25% in 2025, representing a 60.18% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 19.70%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at Salem State from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 60.18% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 28.26% | 32.43% | 26.27% |
| 2016-17 | 25.35% -2.91% |
27.51% -4.91% |
24.33% -1.94% |
| 2017-18 | 21.59% -3.75% |
24.62% -2.89% |
20.24% -4.09% |
| 2018-19 | 19.99% -1.61% |
24.04% -0.57% |
18.32% -1.92% |
| 2019-20 | 20.28% 0.29% |
24.81% 0.77% |
18.41% 0.10% |
| 2020-21 | 17.51% -2.77% |
19.45% -5.36% |
16.74% -1.67% |
| 2021-22 | 17.00% -0.51% |
19.99% 0.53% |
15.00% -1.75% |
| 2022-23 | 18.29% 1.29% |
22.55% 2.57% |
16.54% 1.55% |
| 2023-24 | 17.47% -0.82% |
21.59% -0.97% |
15.59% -0.95% |
| 2024-25 | 11.25% -6.22% |
13.54% -8.05% |
10.23% -5.37% |
| Average | 19.70% | 23.05% | 18.17% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 6,062, the average number of admitted is 5,232, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 994.
The number of Salem State applicants increased by 63.91% (3,101 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 54.01% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at Salem State University from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 5,164 | 3,868 | 1,093 |
| 2016-17 | 6,139 18.88% |
4,517 16.78% |
1,145 4.76% |
| 2017-18 | 6,185 0.75% |
5,066 12.15% |
1,094 -4.45% |
| 2018-19 | 6,562 6.10% |
5,558 9.71% |
1,111 1.55% |
| 2019-20 | 5,825 -11.23% |
4,985 -10.31% |
1,011 -9.00% |
| 2020-21 | 6,557 12.57% |
5,688 14.10% |
996 -1.48% |
| 2021-22 | 6,287 -4.12% |
5,658 -0.53% |
962 -3.41% |
| 2022-23 | 5,093 -18.99% |
4,719 -16.60% |
863 -10.29% |
| 2023-24 | 4,852 -4.73% |
4,637 -1.74% |
810 -6.14% |
| 2024-25 | 7,953 63.91% |
7,625 64.44% |
858 5.93% |
| Average | 6,062 | 5,232 | 994 |
The following table compares Salem State University' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salem State University | 95.57% | 95.88% | 0.32% |
| University of Massachusetts-Amherst | 59.73% | 57.77% | 3.39% |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell | 83.04% | 85.24% | -2.58% |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston | 83.78% | 82.96% | 0.99% |
| Bridgewater State University | 87.81% | 89.19% | -1.55% |
| University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | 90.64% | 92.16% | -1.65% |
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