Salem College Announces Most Applications, 5th Largest Incoming Class in Its History
Winston-Salem, NC (May 15, 2025) – Salem College announced today that 210 students, including 176 first-year and 34 transfer students, have committed to attend Salem College in the fall. In its 253-year history, the college has only four times before enrolled more than 200 incoming students. In addition, the fall 2025 incoming class come not only from North Carolina but 18 other states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
Salem also received the largest number of applications in its history, in a fourth consecutive record-breaking year. 3,219 students applied to join Salem’s Class of 2029, a 43% increase over 2024 and a 454% increase since May 2021. For the first time in Salem history the vast majority of applicants live outside North Carolina (77% more out-of-state applicants than 2024), and for the first time Salem received applications from every U.S. state.
Salem Academy and College President Summer McGee said, “Since 2021, Salem’s transformation into America’s Health Leadership College has been recognized by students, families, and high school counselors from across the nation. We are so proud that Salem is again seen as the place for women who seek to become leaders in health, now the world’s top field for job growth. In addition, Salem has added new programs in fields like computer science and digital marketing, new NCAA sports, and innovative new spaces for learning, all of which position students for success.”
Salem’s enrollment success has also been fueled in part by increasing national recognition. In the past year, Washington Monthly ranked Salem among the top 10 colleges in the country for graduates’ predicted earnings, and U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges has for three years running ranked Salem top 3 for providing its students with upward social mobility.
Salem’s Vice President for Enrollment Matt Munsey, puts it this way: “with a liberal arts foundation grounded in health, wellness, and leadership, Salem prepares students to thrive to be successful as leaders. 37% of those coming this fall plan to pursue one of Salem’s accelerated bachelor-to-masters programs, such as our BA-MS programs with Wake Forest University in Clinical Research and in Health Informatics. This distinctive focus also explains why a much higher percentage of admitted students tell us this year that Salem was their 1st or 2nd choice institution.”
The college has an average class size of eight. The academic strength of incoming students at Salem remains high, with an average high school GPA of 3.7. It also remains committed to access and affordability. More than 97% of students receive financial aid, and the college offers more than 10 full-tuition or full-ride scholarships to students demonstrating academic and leadership excellence.
Prospective students and families are invited to visit Salem’s historic campus in person Monday through Saturday or explore the college virtually at salem.edu/tour.
About Salem College
Salem College provides women a liberal arts education with a distinctive focus on health and leadership ensuring our graduates understand the power, importance, and complexity of health in our society. Salem College prepares students for a range of career paths to lead in making the world a better, healthier, more equitable place. Salem College is the only national liberal arts college exclusively focused on developing the health leaders of tomorrow.
News media contact
Meagan Coughlin, APR
meagan.coughlin@salem.edu