Comparison tool
Rankings across 8 publishers plus admissions, cost, debt and outcome data for Salem State University, Worcester State University, SUNY Polytechnic Institute. Every figure is sourced and dated.
| Metric | Salem StateSalem, MA | Worcester StateWorcester, MA | SUNY PolytechnicUtica, NY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | 95.9% | 88.0% | 81.3% |
| SAT middle 50% | Not reportedSalem State University reports that it neither requires nor recommends admissions test scores, and does not report a score range to the Department of Education. | 1026–1283 | 1025–1370 |
| Average net price | $15,99635.4% on Pell grants | $13,38130.0% on Pell grants | $14,16439.6% on Pell grants |
| Published tuition & fees | $12,338 in-state · $19,531 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $11,786 in-state · $17,866 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release | $8,625 in-state · $21,215 outMost recent reported academic year, College Scorecard June 2026 release |
| 6-year graduation rate | 49.8% | 61.5% | 55.1% |
| First-year retention | 75.3% | 78.1% | 69.2% |
| Undergraduates on Pell grants | 35.4% | 30.0% | 39.6% |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $56,662 | $60,624 | $64,355 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $25,000 | $19,500 | $17,250 |
| Student-faculty ratio | 11:1 | 15:1 | 14:1 |
| Undergraduate enrollment | 4,291 | 3,930 | 1,849 |
| Consensus percentile | 44Lower is better | 44Lower is better | 45Lower is better |
| Methodology sensitivity | 25 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 20 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points | 53 ptsHow far published lists disagree, in percentile points |
Highlighted cells mark the most favourable value in that row where a direction is meaningful. No highlight appears for metrics like enrollment or SAT range, where “better” depends entirely on what you want.
“Not ranked by this source” means that publisher’s list does not include the school — not missing data and not a poor rank.
| Source | Salem State | Worcester State | SUNY Polytechnic |
|---|---|---|---|
| US News | #91 of 170Regional univ. (North)Regional Universities (North) · 2026 | #97 of 170Regional univ. (North)Regional Universities (North) · 2026 | #33 of 170Regional univ. (North)Regional Universities (North) · 2026 |
| Forbes | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | #360 of 500Top colleges (Forbes)America's Top Colleges · 2026 |
| Washington Monthly | #426 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #565 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 | #679 of 1,504Tuition & tax value (WM)Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars · 2026 |
| WSJ | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| Niche | #1311 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #964 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 | #1147 of 2,605Overall (Niche)Best Colleges (Overall) · 2026 |
| Money | Listed | Listed | Listed |
| Princeton Review | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
| QS | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source | Not ranked by this source |
Students comparing Salem State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing Worcester State University on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
Full profileStudents comparing SUNY Polytechnic Institute on federal cost, completion, and earnings data who will layer in fit, location, and program strength separately.
This school may not appear on every publisher list we track; an empty rankings table means no tracked publisher ranked it, not missing federal data.
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