Salem College Reports Record-Breaking Enrollment Growth for Fall 2025
Winston-Salem, N.C. (August 21, 2025) – Salem College is celebrating historic enrollment gains this fall, marking the third year in a row of undergraduate growth. Total undergraduate enrollment has risen by 19% for Fall 2025, setting a new milestone in the college’s long history.
This year’s enrollment includes 222 new undergraduate students, marking a 27% growth from last year. Among these new students are 177 members of the Class of 2029, representing 19 states (plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C.), and two countries. The incoming first-year class arrives with strong academic credentials, carrying an average high school GPA of 3.75. Salem’s entering class matches the characteristics of today’s college-goers, with 60% being first-generation college students, while 53% identify as Black, Indigenous, or people of color. The college also welcomed its largest cohort of transfer students in its institutional history, with 45 transfers joining the college.
“Salem’s continued enrollment growth, despite the shifting demographics of higher education, underscores the strength and resilience of our entire campus community,” said Matthew Munsey, Salem’s Vice President of Enrollment Management.
“This achievement is a direct reflection of the strategic efforts of our admissions and financial aid teams, whose professionalism and dedication ensure that students and families experience the very best of Salem from the first point of contact. Their work is central to advancing our mission and sustaining Salem’s momentum,” Munsey added.
Consistent with Salem’s emphasis on health leadership, the majority of students have chosen majors in STEM and health fields, followed by programs in art, design, and business.
Earlier this year, the 254-year-old college reported its fourth straight year of record-breaking application numbers. Salem credits its unique identity as the nation’s only liberal arts college dedicated exclusively to health leadership as a key driver of recent momentum.
“For the past five years, Salem College has been building its visibility and strength on its mission: to be a women’s college grounded in the liberal arts and dedicated to graduating students who are health leaders. This year’s entering class is a testament to the hard work of faculty and staff, and to the attractiveness of Salem’s mission in today’s higher education landscape,” said Gary Daynes, Interim President of Salem Academy and College.
To further expand opportunities for students, Salem has built new partnerships with local, regional, and national corporations to provide internships and career pathways, established articulation agreements with institutions nationwide, and launched RISE Leadership, a four-year program designed to develop students’ competencies and skills in health leadership and professional growth. For more information about Salem College, visit salem.edu.
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
Mallory Forsman
Director of Marketing and Communications
Salem Academy and College
mallory.forsman@salem.edu
704.661.4686