Sonoma State vs Salem State

Sonoma State University and Salem State University, both public universities with rich histories, offer distinct educational experiences. Sonoma State, nestled in the heart of California's wine country, boasts a higher acceptance rate and a larger student body, while Salem State, located just north of Boston, offers a more intimate learning environment. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into the differences in their popular majors, student demographics, graduation rates, and more, helping you make an informed decision about which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.
Salem State University logo

Salem State University

Sonoma State University logo

Sonoma State University

Overview

Location Salem, Massachusetts Rohnert Park, California
Campus setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 75.0% 83.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 90.0% 93.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
Undergraduate: $70

Graduate: $70
SAT range N/A N/A
ACT range N/A N/A
Students submitting SAT score
Students submitting ACT score
Total number of applicants 6,287 10,598
Total number of admissions given out 5,659 9,934
Admitted students who chose to enroll 939 822
Yield rate 16.6% 8.3%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $27,123

Out of state: $33,928
In state: $29,478

Out of state: $41,358
Average net price $18,125 $7,055
Tuition
In state: $910

Out of state: $7,050
In state: $5,742

Out of state: $17,622
Room & board $14,590
Room/dormitory: $7,798

Meal plan: $5,878
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

91.0%
Average amount $7,673
68.0%
Average amount $8,547
Students receiving federal student loan 67.0%
Average amount $4,984
21.0%
Average amount $4,719
Students taking out private loans 10.0%
Average amount $12,948
0.0%
Average amount $18,070

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 5,555
Men 34.5% Women 65.5%
6,587
Men 37.9% Women 62.1%
Graduate students 1,576
Men 21.8% Women 78.2%
784
Men 31.1% Women 68.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A 2.6%
International students 2.5% 2.9%
Campus local/setting Suburb: Large Suburb: Large
Dormitory capacity 1,928 3,389
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from New York New Hampshire Connecticut Rhode Island Vermont California Washington Colorado Arizona Utah

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Education
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Public Administration and Social Service
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Social Sciences
  • Liberal Arts
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
  • Health Professions
  • Business
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 56.8% 59.9%
Dropout rate 40.8% 30.5%
Transferred out N/A 8.0%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,461
  • Year 2: $67,660
  • Year 3: $81,500
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,690
  • Year 2: $69,261
  • Year 3: $74,129
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,511
  • Year 2: $63,005
  • Year 3: $69,206
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,183
  • Year 2: $71,854
  • Year 3: $64,195
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $59,356
  • Year 2: $59,124
  • Year 3: $61,164
Special Education and Teaching (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,191
  • Year 2: $54,855
  • Year 3: $59,882
Social Work (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $50,049
  • Year 2: $50,606
  • Year 3: $53,563
Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,859
  • Year 2: $48,302
  • Year 3: $52,492
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Levels and Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $47,960
  • Year 2: $47,729
  • Year 3: $51,920
Chemistry (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $43,346
  • Year 2: $45,696
  • Year 3: $51,685
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $110,859
  • Year 2: $110,432
  • Year 3: $118,191
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $129,308
  • Year 2: $115,339
  • Year 3: $116,301
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,348
  • Year 2: $77,715
  • Year 3: $96,409
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $90,911
  • Year 2: $83,768
  • Year 3: $88,425
Education, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,796
  • Year 2: $59,576
  • Year 3: $66,139
Economics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $45,814
  • Year 2: $55,512
  • Year 3: $65,608
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $48,133
  • Year 2: $54,320
  • Year 3: $59,449
Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,635
  • Year 2: $51,750
  • Year 3: $52,481
Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $34,504
  • Year 2: $39,009
  • Year 3: $47,193
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,432
  • Year 2: $37,424
  • Year 3: $46,935

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