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Is Salem University worth it?
A first pass affordability and outcome read for Salem, using national average inputs. Run your own numbers for a personalized score.
Worth-It Score
Heavy lift
Salem lands in the heavy lift band for a typical family. The combination of $12,303 in yearly net price and $24,694 in median debt asks a lot relative to median earnings of $34,642. For context, Salem's net price sits about 55% below the typical 4-year, private for-profit school. This does not make the school wrong for every student, but it does mean the price deserves a closer test.
Is the price fair?
Compared to 186 similar 4-year, private for-profit schools
This school
$11,626
/yrAverage school like this
$25,582
/yrThis helps your Worth-It Score
You'd pay about $13,956 less per year than the typical student at a similar school. Over 4 years that's roughly $56,000 in savings.
Score breakdown
The public version of the score weighs affordability, after graduation outcomes, and repayment burden.
Affordability
40% weight
The yearly net price sits in a range that leaves more room for family cash flow and lower borrowing.
Outcome
40% weight
The outcome data does not create enough margin to fully offset the cost.
Repayment
20% weight
Median debt stays in a more comfortable repayment range for a typical graduate.
The numbers behind the score
Median net price per year
$12,303
Median earnings 10 years out
$34,642
Median debt at graduation
$24,694
Graduation rate
24%
At Salem, a typical graduate carries about $24,694 in student debt and earns roughly $34,642 ten years after enrolling. On a standard 10-year repayment plan, that works out to about $281 per month, or 10% of pre-tax income. That sits at the tighter end of a workable borrower range.
How earnings compare to a high school diploma
Graduates earn $7,158 less than the typical high school graduate ($41,800) ten years after entering this school. A federal rule finalized in July 2026 ties undergraduate student-loan eligibility to a comparison like this one, with the first calculations expected in 2027.
55% of former students here out-earned that benchmark ten years after entry, per College Scorecard.
Context, not a federal determination: the official test will use earnings measured four years after completion and thresholds the Department of Education has not yet published, which may vary by state. Our figure is College Scorecard median earnings ten years after entry. How this works
What this means for your family
Salem is a private for-profit school in Salem, WV. In this category, families usually need to look especially hard at debt, repayment room, and whether the long-run earnings picture justifies the price.
Similar schools worth comparing
These schools share a similar sector, geography, or price range.
Private for-profit 4-year
American Public University System
Charles Town, WV
Worth-It Score: 67/100
Median net price: $9,597
Private for-profit 4-year
University of Phoenix-Arizona
Phoenix, AZ
Worth-It Score: 46/100
Median net price: $13,520
Private for-profit 4-year
Columbia Southern
Orange Beach, AL
Worth-It Score: 62/100
Median net price: $14,580
Private for-profit 4-year
American InterContinental University System
Chandler, AZ
Worth-It Score: 41/100
Median net price: $15,172
Private for-profit 4-year
Crestpoint
Phoenix, AZ
Worth-It Score: 49/100
Median net price: $15,670
Common questions about Salem
The median net price at Salem is $12,303 per year. That is the average yearly price after typical grant aid for students in the public federal data, not the published sticker price.
Get your personalized Worth-It score
National averages are a starting point. Plug in your actual aid offer, intended major, and family situation to get a score that reflects your specific picture.
Looking at for-profit colleges options in West Virginia? See the most affordable for-profit colleges in West Virginia →
The Worth-It Score weighs affordability (40%), after graduation outcomes (40%), and repayment burden (20%). Underlying data points come from publicly available federal higher education reporting. See full methodology →
Now work out how to pay for it, cheapest money first.
A Worth-It Score tells you whether the price is justified. The 2026-27 funding guide covers the borrowing order, what changed on July 1, 2026, and the current limits.
Open the 2026-27 funding guide →