Salem College Sees Third Consecutive Year of Record-Breaking Enrollment Growth

Salem College announced today record growth in enrollment numbers surpassing past trends in institutional history. This fall, Salem continues its upward trajectory with the second consecutive year of total undergraduate enrollment growth at the college. Salem’s total undergraduate enrollment grew by 10% in Fall 2024.

Total undergraduate enrollment is buoyed by 174 new undergraduates enrolled for Fall 2025, including the Class of 2028 with 137 first-year students from 19 states and 11 countries. The Class of 2028 is academically qualified with an average high school GPA of 3.89. With the Class of 2028, Salem College continues its commitment to diversity and college access with 57% of Salem College’s new students being first-generation, and 48% of the incoming class are Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Consistent with the college’s focus on health leadership, the majority of new students plan to major in STEM and health-related majors, followed by art, design, and business. Salem also enrolled the largest number of new transfer students in its institutional history.

“Given the unprecedented and challenging year for college admissions due to the delayed FAFSA rollout and shifting demographics across the nation, these results for Salem College are truly remarkable and due in large part to the dedication of Salem’s faculty and staff, particularly its stellar admissions and financial aid teams,” Salem College Vice President for Enrollment Management Matt Munsey said.

In February, the 253-year-old institution reported seeing an increase in applications for the fall, its third consecutive record-breaking year in application growth. Salem attributes its distinctive focus as being America’s only health leadership college as a key factor to recent enrollment success.

Asked to explain the key reasons for Salem’s continued growth, Salem’s President Summer McGee points to several distinguishing features that set Salem apart. “Salem continues to demonstrate the value and importance of being a distinctive college in a competitive higher education landscape. We have a specific niche and a clear institutional identity that resonates with prospective students and families. Our students are drawn to our focus on health leadership and our commitment to developing the whole person through a unique approach to a liberal arts education.”

Salem is the only liberal arts college in the nation with an exclusive focus on health leadership. Salem expanded its national reach by partnering with major national corporations to offer new internships in health and career opportunities for its students, created new articulation agreements with colleges and universities around the nation, and launched an annual health leadership forum, bringing some of the nation’s top women health leaders to Salem’s campus to share current trends and leadership lessons in health. 

For more information about Salem College, visit salem.edu.