Salem State University

What is the cost of studying for a year at Salem State University?

For the reported 2025-26 academic year, full-time undergraduate tuition and required fees totaled $12,338 for Massachusetts residents and $18,269 for out-of-state students. The tuition portion alone was much smaller than the required-fee portion, so comparing Salem State's tuition figure with another college's combined tuition-and-fees figure would be misleading.

• Massachusetts resident undergraduate tuition and required fees: $12,338.
• Out-of-state undergraduate tuition and required fees: $18,269.
• Typical room and board charges: $16,014.

Adding the reported room-and-board charge produces $28,352 for an in-state student or $35,545 for an out-of-state student before books, transportation and personal expenses. Those sums are not complete cost-of-attendance estimates, and commuters should budget their actual housing and travel costs instead. Graduate tuition, fees and program charges follow different schedules.

Financial aid can change what a student pays. Reported average net prices - cost after grant and scholarship aid, using the applicable federal measure - were $13,870 for students from families earning up to $48,000 and $17,590 for those in the $75,001-$110,000 income band. Averages are not individual aid offers. Students should compare a current, personalized aid estimate with a current bill and include costs that will not appear on the tuition line.

What are the work-study opportunities at Salem State University?

Eligible Salem State students may seek Federal Work-Study jobs as part of a financial aid award, as well as student jobs that do not require Work-Study eligibility. Federal Work-Study is an opportunity to earn wages through approved employment; it is not a grant automatically deducted in full from the tuition bill.

Students generally establish federal aid eligibility through the FAFSA and then apply for available positions. A Work-Study award does not itself assign a job or guarantee that a student will earn the full amount. Campus offices may also hire students through other funding, while an internship may have different pay and academic-credit rules.

For career planning, Salem State offers individual counseling, résumé support, interview preparation, a job bank and career events. Students looking for experience connected to a major should compare campus jobs, internships and employer opportunities rather than treat them as interchangeable forms of financial aid.