Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) vs Salem College

Virginia Wesleyan University and Salem College, both esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Virginia Wesleyan, located in Virginia Beach, Virginia, boasts a higher acceptance rate (75%) compared to Salem College's selective admissions (58%). While Salem College, nestled in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, excels in the humanities and social sciences, Virginia Wesleyan offers a broader range of programs, including popular majors like business and nursing. Explore the detailed comparison table to delve into further differences, such as student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which college aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Salem College	Virginia Wesleyan University
Overview
Location	Winston-Salem, North Carolina	Virginia Beach, Virginia
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Private (Non Profit)	Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system	Semester	4-1-4
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	62.0%	66.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation	Protestant	Methodism

Admission
Acceptance rate	90.2%	86.4%
Application fees	$30
SAT range	1053 - 1200	1150 - 1380
ACT range	17 - 21	27 - 31
Students submitting SAT score	13.0%	13.0%
Students submitting ACT score	21.0%	4.0%
Total number of applicants	479	2,076
Total number of admissions given out	432	1,793
Admitted students who chose to enroll	48	341
Yield rate	11.1%	19.0%
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	$35,016	$51,994
Average net price	$11,408	$22,584
Tuition	$30,500	$36,010
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,150 Meal plan: $6,150	$10,264
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	99.0% Average amount $26,404	99.0% Average amount $27,737
Students receiving federal student loan	51.0% Average amount $4,282	62.0% Average amount $5,299
Students taking out private loans	3.0% Average amount $3,977	13.0% Average amount $13,485

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	364 Men 1.9% Women 98.1%	1,241 Men 39.2% Women 60.8%
Graduate students	132 Men 9.1% Women 90.9%	83 Men 41.0% Women 59.0%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Moderate	Moderate
Out-of-state students	15.6%	N/A
International students	N/A	1.4%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Large
Dormitory capacity	386	858
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	North Carolina Virginia Connecticut Delaware Florida	N/A

Academics
Popular study areas	Education Visual & Performing Arts English Language and Literature Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences	Business Biological and Biomedical Sciences Kinesiology & Leisure Studies Multidisciplinary Studies Social Sciences
Students to faculty ratio	15:1	12:1
Institutional accreditation	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

Outcome
Graduation rate	67.4%	46.8%
Dropout rate	9.8%	16.2%
Transferred out	22.8%	36.7%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $34,373 Year 2: $32,925 Year 3: $41,915 Education, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $31,850 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: N/A Student Counseling and Personnel Services (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $46,313 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,085 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $26,016 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $21,118 Year 2: N/A Year 3: N/A	Business Administration, Management and Operations (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $39,664 Year 2: $37,208 Year 3: $43,880 Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $27,137 Year 2: $35,330 Year 3: $42,341 Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $28,598 Year 3: $38,256 Criminal Justice and Corrections (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $35,903 Year 2: $29,685 Year 3: $35,121 Parks, Recreation and Leisure Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $31,851 Year 3: $33,071 Psychology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $28,084 Year 2: $26,643 Year 3: $30,475 Biology, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $20,140 Year 3: $30,197 English Language and Literature, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $19,227 Year 3: N/A Mathematics (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $48,432 Year 3: N/A International Relations and National Security Studies (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $21,781 Year 3: N/A

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