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Everything we have for Northwestern State University of Louisiana and Salem State, grouped like the topic pages. Differences only hides the rows where they match or only one reports.
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| Metric | Northwestern State University of Louisiana | Salem State |
|---|---|---|
| Getting in | ||
| Admissions data | Fall 2024 | Fall 2024 |
| Acceptance rate | 93% | 96% |
| Acceptance rate, men / women | 91% / 93% | 95% / 96% |
| Acceptance rate, in-state / other states / international | Not published | Not published |
| Yield, in-state / other states / international | Not published | Not published |
| Applicants | 3,015 | 7,953 |
| Admitted | 2,790 | 7,625 |
| Enrolled | 1,043 | 858 |
| Yield | 37% | 11% |
| SAT middle 50% | 866–1163 | 873–1148Fall 2025 |
| ACT middle 50% | 18–24 | – |
| Sent an SAT | – | 7% |
| Sent an ACT | – | – |
| Scored 1400+ on the SAT | – | 0%Fall 2025 |
| Scored 30+ on the ACT | – | – |
| Admission: High school GPA | Required | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: High school record | Required | Required |
| Admission: Class rank | Not considered | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: College-prep program | Required | Required |
| Admission: Recommendations | Not considered | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Essay | Not considered | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Legacy status | Not considered | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Work experience | Not considered | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Considered |
| Admission: English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Admission: Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Average high school GPA | – | 3.22Fall 2025 |
| First-years in the top tenth of their class | – | – |
| Early decision | – | – |
| Early action | – | Offered2025–26 |
| Wait list | – | No wait listFall 2025 |
| Admission: Rigor of high school record | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Test scores | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Interview | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Extracurricular activities | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Talent or ability | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Character and personal qualities | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: First generation | – | ConsideredFall 2025 |
| Admission: Geographic residence | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: State residency | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Religious affiliation | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Volunteer work | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Admission: Demonstrated interest | – | Very importantFall 2025 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | Test-blindFall 2027 applicants |
| Application fee | $20 | $50 |
| Deadlines & deposit | – | Reply by May 1 · $300 housing depositFall 2026 cycle |
| Credit for AP exams | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer acceptance rate | – | 91%Fall 2025 |
| Students & campus | ||
| Setting | Town: Remote | Suburb: Large |
| Carnegie class | Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium | Professions-focused Undergraduate/Graduate-Master's Large/Medium |
| Research activity | Not a research tier | Not a research tier |
| Student access & earnings | Lower Access, Medium Earnings | Higher Access, Medium Earnings |
| HBCU, tribal, land-grant | None | None |
| Minority-serving, single-sex | None | None |
| Religious affiliation | None | None |
| Athletics | Division I FCS | Division III |
| Conference | Southland Conference | Massachusetts State College Athletic Association |
| ROTC | Army | Army, Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered | Offered |
| Undergraduate research program | Yes | Not listed |
| Calendar | Semesters | Semesters |
| Undergrads | 5,519 | 4,291 |
| Beds in college housing | 1,492 | 1,675 |
| First-years must live on campus | No | No |
| Men in a fraternity | – | – |
| Women in a sorority | – | – |
| Fraternity/sorority housing | – | Offered2025–26 |
| Greek councils present | Panhellenic sororities (NPC), Interfraternity (NIC and IFC)October 2026 | Panhellenic sororities (NPC)October 2026 |
| Pell Grant | 35% | 35% |
| First-gen | 42% | 40% |
| Men / women | 29% / 71% | 36% / 64% |
| Part-time students | 25% | 13% |
| Students 25 and older | 22% | 13% |
| First-years from in state | 99% | 86% |
| First-years from other states | 1% | 11% |
| First-years from abroad | 1% | 3% |
| New transfer students this fall | 371 | 395 |
| Transfers, share of new undergraduates | 26% | 32% |
| Diversity index | 0.63 | 0.65 |
| Academics | ||
| Students per faculty member | 16 to 1 | 12 to 1 |
| Classes under 20 students | – | 54%Fall 2025 |
| Full-time faculty share | 66% | 100% |
| Average faculty salary | $64,064 | $96,243 |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded | 1,116 | 1,052 |
| Most popular majors | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 24% · General Studies 9% · Business Administration and Management, General 8% | Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse 12% · Psychology, General 10% · Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement Administration 6% |
| Instruction spending per student | $6,994 (public, GASB accounting) | $10,571 (public, GASB accounting) |
| Endowment per student | $2,838 (public, GASB accounting) | $13,203 (public, GASB accounting) |
| Tuition share of core revenue | 27% | 27% |
| Cost & aid | ||
| Average cost, all students (est.) | $15,667 | $21,984 |
| Aid generosity (grants ÷ full price) | 42% | 32% |
| Net price, students with grants | $13,134 | $17,541 |
| Sticker price, in-state | $26,705 | $31,340 |
| Sticker price, out-of-state | $37,493 | $38,323 |
| Tuition guarantee | No | No |
| Promise program | No | No |
| Tuition & fees, in-state | $8,864 | $11,978 |
| Tuition & fees, out-of-state | $19,652 | $18,961 |
| First-years paying out-of-state rates | 2% | 11% |
| First-years with grants | 93% | 98% |
| Average grant | $12,098 | $10,319 |
| Aid from the college | 69% | 98% |
| Need-based aid up to | Published data end at $110K | Published data end at $110K |
| Merit for students without need | – | – |
| Published promise | – | – |
| Aid forms | – | FAFSAFall 2026 entrants |
| Aid priority date or deadline | – | – |
| Need met, first-years | – | – |
| Average aid package, first-years | – | – |
| College grant dollars given as merit | – | – |
| Aid for international students | – | – |
| Outcomes | ||
| Median earnings (10 yrs) | $47,021 | $56,662 |
| Graduation rate | 46% | 62% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Pell Grant recipients | 38% | 47% |
| Graduated in 6 years, neither Pell nor subsidized loan | 50% | 53% |
| Pell graduation gap | 12 pts lower | 6 pts lower |
| Finished within 4 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 4 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: Pell recipients | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: neither Pell nor subsidized loan | Not published | Not published |
| Finished within 5 years: all first-time full-time | Not published | Not published |
| Graduated in 6 years, White students | 45% | 53% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Asian students | Under 30 students | 59% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Hispanic/Latino students | 48% | 42% |
| Graduated in 6 years, Black students | 37% | 48% |
| Graduated in 6 years, students of two or more races | 43% | 40% |
| Graduated in 6 years, international students | Under 30 students | Under 30 students |
| Retention rate | 71% | 76%Entered fall 2024 |
| Credential within 4 years, all students | 32% | 51% |
| Credential within 8 years, all students | 45% | 62% |
| Enrolled at another college, 8 years on | 29% | 20% |
| Median debt | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Undergrads with a federal loan | 35% | 49% |
| Median debt, Pell Grant recipients | $15,840 | $20,500 |
| Website | nsula.edu | salemstate.edu |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26;IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD), 2025–26;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;National directories of campus chapters and groups, October 2026;College Scorecard, Fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level), Fall 2024;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Outcome Measures survey, Students entering fall 2016;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Common Data Set, most recent release;Salem State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Salem State University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;Salem State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2027 applicants;Salem State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 cycle;Salem State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;Salem State University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrantsAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why