Quad

Winston-Salem State University

Winston-Salem, NCQuad's selectivityOpen
Known forEconomic diversityTest-optional heavy
WebsiteAdmissionsApplyVisitFinancial aid

Admissions · Fall 2024

8 in 10 applicants admitted

Winston-Salem State admits about 8 in 10 applicants (78%). That puts it in the "Open" tier, more selective than 47% of the 1,547 colleges that report admissions.

78%

78%

acceptance rateQuad's selectivityOpen

Applied

9,108

Admitted

7,128

Yield

13%

of admits enroll

SAT middle 50%

830–1020

4001600
ACT middle 50%

15–20

1236
Applications +105% since fall 2014 · admit rate 60% → 78%Over time

Getting in, in detail: funnel, what they look at, your scores

Students

Who's on campus

A small campus of 4,170 undergrads, where 65% receive Pell Grants, a high share compared to other colleges.

4.2K

undergrads · larger than 74% of colleges

Diversity index

0.30

Pell Grant

65%

above the median

First generation

35%

above the median

Large cityNCAA D-II · Central Intercollegiate Athletic AssociationROTCStudy abroad
Less diverse · index 0.45 → 0.30 since fall 2014Over time

Students and campus life in detail

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse (18% of graduates). 15 students for every faculty member, more than at 66% of colleges. 67% of faculty are full-time. Spends $11,408 a year on instruction per student.

15 to 1

students per faculty member · more than at 66% of colleges

Most popular major

Registered Nursing/Registered Nurse

18% of 2024–25 graduates

Top-earning major

Computer Science

$94.3K four years after completion

Full-time faculty

67%

of faculty

Instruction spending

$11.4K

per student a year

All majors with search, earnings by major, and faculty

Cost & aid · 2023–24

What it costs

In 2023–24, the average first-year paid an estimated $16,722 in total (tuition, housing, food, books and other costs, after grants), $7.6K less than the national median. The 91% who received grants paid $12,989 on average; the other 9% paid the full sticker price of $23,401 in-state / $34,057 out-of-state.

35%

$16.7K

average total cost per year, all first-years, after grants (est.) · $7.6K below the national median

$0$110K$400K+
Full price, in-state
$23,401 a year
tuition, housing, food, books, and other costs
Need-based aid
Little need-based aid above $110K
aid thins out for families above that income
Aid generosity

Moderate

grants cover 35% of full price

Federal loans

68%

of undergrads · national median 45%

Your price

Net price calculator

the college's own

Financial aid

Financial aid office Veterans' benefits
Cost rising · +29% after inflation since 2013–14Over time

Prices, who gets aid, and borrowing in detail

Outcomes

What it pays

Former students earn a median $45,344 ten years after enrolling, more than at 25% of colleges; 57% graduate within six years. Four years of net price is about 1.5 years of that salary.

57%

57%

graduate within six years · national median 59%

Median earnings

$45.3K

10 years after entry

Median debt

$25K

≈ $265/month for 10 years

Retention

77%

come back for year two

Graduation rate 46% → 47% since the class that entered fall 2008Over time

Earnings, finishing, 8-year outcomes, by group

Over time · since 2013–14

How it's changed

Since 2013–14, the full price rose 12% after inflation, while what the average first-year paid rose 29%, as grants covered less of it. Applications rose 105% since fall 2014, and the acceptance rate went from 60% to 78%.

  • Cost

    Rising

    +29% after inflation

  • Applications

    Growing

    +105%

  • Selectivity

    Less selective

    admit rate 60% → 78%

  • Diversity

    Less diverse

    index 0.45 → 0.30

Every series, year by year

Keep exploring

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6K undergrads

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2.8K undergrads

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South Carolina State University

83% admit · 2.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar sizeAlso Southeast
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Prairie View A & M University

79% admit · SAT 970 · 8.9K undergrads

Similar selectivitySimilar scoresAlso public
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Sources for this overviewEvery dataset and year behind the numbers on this profile; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources for this profile

  1. 1
    IPEDS directory (Institutional Characteristics: HD)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  2. 2
    College Scorecard

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release; Entered fall 2023; Fall 2024; 2023–24; Fall 2023 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  3. 3
    IPEDS Admissions survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  4. 4
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  5. 5
    IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2025–26 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  6. 6
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  7. 7
    IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2024–25 graduates · retrieved 2026-10-12

  8. 8
    College Scorecard Field of Study data

    U.S. Department of Education · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  9. 9
    IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  10. 10
    IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · 2023–24 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  11. 11
    Common Data Set

    Each college (voluntary, standardized template) · most recent release · retrieved 2026-10-12

  12. 12
    IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Entered fall 2018 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  13. 13
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part C, residence of first-time students)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  14. 14
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part A, enrollment by level)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  15. 15
    IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (distance education)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  16. 16
    State laws on public colleges

    State legislatures (statutes read and summarized by hand) · In effect since June 24, 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

  17. 17
    IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks)

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Fall 2024 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  18. 18
    IPEDS Outcome Measures survey

    National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) · Students entering fall 2016 · retrieved 2026-10-12

  19. 19
    Winston-Salem State University (2026)

    Winston-Salem State University · 2026 · retrieved 2026-10-04

IPEDS unit ID 199999 · Data retrieved 2026-10-12. Tap any ⓘ to see where that number came from and what year it describes. National ranks and medians include every 4-year college that reports the measure. How we source and calculate everything