MA
Salem State University
4.82 incidents / 1,000 students
Salem, MA · Clery Act 2024 · Public
Salem State University
Across 2022–2024, Salem State University reported 52 incidents in the Clery Criminal Offenses section, and the yearly count rose over that span (largest filed category: Rape). Nearby same-state same-level comparison: Suffolk University.
- 4.82
- Incidents / 1k students
- #1,589
- Rank of 2,072
- #70
- MA rank
- 6,230
- Enrolled students
4.82 reported score-category incidents per 1,000 students
Salem State University reports 4.82 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 109% above Bucks County Community College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Bucks County Community College (0.00/1k); California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (8.18/1k); South Louisiana Community College (0.00/1k); Lehigh Carbon Community College (0.16/1k); McNeese State University (3.20/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Suffolk University (1.42/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.
Data source U.S. Department of Education, OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
- incidents / 1,000 students
- 4.82
- of 2,072 ranked nationally
- #1,589
- report fewer incidents than this campus
- 77%
- Criminal Offenses, 2024
- 21
Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety and Security Survey
Data updated August 2026
Clery Act plate
Sheet 167729 · Salem State University 4.82/1k score rate · #1,589/2,072
RATE-HIGH · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT
- RATE-HIGH 4.82/1k
- RANK-BOTTOM #1,589/2,072
- ST-MID #70 in state
- ABOVE-PEER McNeese State University · +1.61
- ZERO-NONE Scored
- TREND-UP ↑ 91%
- CAT-LEAD Rape
- ENR-MID 6,230
- FIRE-REPORT 1 fire
Nearest enrollment peer: McNeese State University (-1.61/1k)
Salem State University sheet RATE-HIGH · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT · peer McNeese State University. Codes from this campus OPE filing: score-category rate, national/state rank, named enrollment peer, zero posture, Criminal Offenses trend, lead category, enrollment band, fire filing. Not a moving recommendation.
Clery plate RATE-HIGH · RANK-BOTTOM · ST-MID · ABOVE-PEER · ZERO-NONE · TREND-UP · CAT-LEAD · ENR-MID · FIRE-REPORT. Nearest similar-enrollment peer is McNeese State University (-1.61/1k). National rank #1,589 of 2,072 scored campuses. Instrument codes from this campus OPE sheet; compare similarly sized peers before treating any single rate as decisive.
Salem State University reports 4.82 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 - 109% above Bucks County Community College. Similar-enrollment scored peers: Bucks County Community College (0.00/1k); California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (8.18/1k); South Louisiana Community College (0.00/1k); Lehigh Carbon Community College (0.16/1k); McNeese State University (3.20/1k). Same-state same-level set also includes Suffolk University (1.42/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k). Largest Criminal Offenses total across filed years: Rape.
Peer-rate neighbourhood around Salem State University
Lowest/highest enrollment peers plus campuses nearest Salem on score-category rate. Full ladder: /rankings/safest-campuses.
- Bucks County Community College · lowest peer 0
Bucks County Community College — lowest peer
0 per 1,000 students
- Lehigh Carbon Community College · near 0.16
Lehigh Carbon Community College — near
0.16 per 1,000 students
- McNeese State University · near 3.2
McNeese State University — near
3.2 per 1,000 students
- Salem State University · this campus
Salem State University — this campus
4.82 per 1,000 students
- California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · highest peer
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt — highest peer
8.18 per 1,000 students
What this shows Neighbourhood of similar-enrollment peers around Salem State University's 4.82/1k rate, not a full-corpus distribution reprint.
Reporting-period change
What changed in 2024
Salem State University increased from 20 to 21 reported on-campus incidents between the 2023 and 2024 reporting years in the U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey.
This is a change in reported incidents, not a measure of individual safety. Enrollment, reporting practice, and category coverage can affect the count.
See national reporting-year changesSignature insight · size does not equal danger
Campus size vs reported safety rate
Among 37 MA 4-year peers in this comparison, Salem State University is larger than 86% and safer-reporting than 25% - the larger, higher-reporting quadrant. Axes are within-sample percentiles so outliers share the same frame; a higher safety percentile means a lower Clery incidents-per-1,000 rate.
Read the chart as text
- Point 1: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 89, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 83
- Point 2: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 83, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 97
- Point 3: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 81, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 72
- Point 4: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 78, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 69
- Point 5: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 75, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 67
- Point 6: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 72, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 53
- Point 7: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 69, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 78
- Point 8: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 67, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 58
- Point 9: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 92, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 56
- Point 10: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 64, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 39
- Point 11: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 61, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 92
- Point 12: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 94, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 81
- Point 13: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 58, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 44
- Point 14: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 56, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 3
- Point 15: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 97, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 31
- Point 16: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 53, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 61
- Point 17: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 50, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 0
- Point 18: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 47, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 36
- Point 19: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 44, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 86
- Point 20: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 42, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 14
- Point 21: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 39, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 89
- Point 22: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 36, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 22
- Point 23: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 100, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 42
- Point 24: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 33, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 17
- Point 25: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 31, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 100
- Point 26: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 28, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 8
- Point 27: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 25, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 64
- Point 28: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 22, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 94
- Point 29: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 19, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 50
- Point 30: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 17, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 75
- Point 31: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 14, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 6
- Point 32: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 19
- Point 33: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 8, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 11
- Point 34: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 6, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 33
- Point 35: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 3, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 28
- Point 36: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 0, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 47
- Salem State University: Enrollment size, percentile in sample 86, Safer-reporting percentile (lower rate) 25
Read the chart as a table
| Campus | Enrollment | Rate / 1k | Size pct | Safety pct |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design | 1,989 | 3.02 | 0 | 47 |
| Curry College | 1,994 | 4.51 | 3 | 28 |
| Hult International Business School | 2,008 | 3.98 | 6 | 33 |
| American International College | 2,037 | 5.89 | 8 | 19 |
| Assumption University | 2,037 | 6.87 | 8 | 11 |
| Williams College | 2,164 | 9.24 | 14 | 6 |
| Mount Holyoke College | 2,275 | 1.76 | 17 | 75 |
| Wellesley College | 2,407 | 2.49 | 19 | 50 |
| Regis College | 2,517 | 0.40 | 22 | 94 |
| Lesley University | 2,557 | 1.96 | 25 | 64 |
| Springfield College | 2,599 | 9.23 | 28 | 8 |
| Salem State University (this campus) | 6,230 | 4.82 | 86 | 25 |
Sample of 12 campuses from the plot (sorted by enrollment). Source: U.S. Department of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey + IPEDS enrollment. Rate = on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 students; lower is safer-reporting, not a personal-risk forecast.
What changed between 2023 and 2024
Reported on-campus incidents at Salem State University rose from 20 to 21 (+5%). The increase shows up in Burglary (5 to 8) and Rape (8 to 9). Falling over the same period: Aggravated Assault (1 to 0), Fondling (5 to 4) and Motor Vehicle Theft (1 to 0).
This describes reported incidents, not crime. Clery counts move with reporting policy, awareness campaigns and how a campus staffs its security authorities, so a rise can reflect better capture of reports and a fall can reflect worse capture. One year of movement at a single campus is not a trend.
What actually gets reported at Salem State University
Across 3 reporting years, on-campus incidents were recorded in 5 Clery Act categories here: Rape, Burglary, Fondling, Aggravated Assault and Motor Vehicle Theft.
The remaining 6 categories were reported with no on-campus incidents, among them Arson, Incest, Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter and Negligent Manslaughter. Under the Clery Act that zero is an affirmative report that nothing in the category occurred, not an absence of data, which is why the table below lists those rows rather than dropping them.
Counts describe incidents reported under the Clery Act for the on-campus geography. Reporting practice varies between institutions, so counts are not a direct measure of relative safety.
Crime Statistics by Year
11 categories 3 reporting years on-campus onlySalem State University: Criminal Offenses by year
Rising 91% (11 → 21 incidents)
Read the chart as text
| Period | On-campus incidents |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 11 |
| 2023 | 20 |
| 2024 | 21 |
| Crime Type | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rape | 9 | 8 | 4 |
| Burglary | 8 | 5 | 6 |
| Fondling | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| Aggravated Assault | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Arson | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Incest | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Murder / Non-Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Negligent Manslaughter | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robbery | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Statutory Rape | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Source: US Dept of Education OPE Campus Safety Survey. Table figures show the Criminal Offenses section; other Clery tables are separate
Fire Safety
| Year | Fires | Inj. | Deaths | Cat I | Cat II |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Arrests & Disciplinary Actions
9 category-year records| Category | Year | Arrests | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drugs | 2024 | 0 | 20 |
| Liquor | 2024 | 0 | 48 |
| Weapons | 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2023 | 1 | 2 |
| Liquor | 2023 | 2 | 30 |
| Weapons | 2023 | 0 | 0 |
| Drugs | 2022 | 0 | 20 |
| Liquor | 2022 | 1 | 16 |
| Weapons | 2022 | 2 | 1 |
Salem State University vs peer institutions
Side-by-side safety scores for 3 peers of similar enrollment
Scores are $2024 Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students (lower is fewer in those categories).
PA
Bucks County Community College
0.00 incidents / 1,000 students
CA
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
8.18 incidents / 1,000 students
Cost context
Where Salem State University sits on price and outcomes
At $15,996, Salem State University's reported average net price is cheaper than 22% among 117 Massachusetts colleges with a reported figure. The state median is $24,402.
- $15,996
- average net price
- $24,402
- Massachusetts median
- 1.9×
- six-year earnings to median debt
- $12,707
- reported income-bracket spread
Aid here is steeply income-scaled. Families reporting under $30,000 of income record a net price of $10,516, while those above $110,000 record $23,223 - roughly 2.2 times as much. A published average of $15,996 therefore describes very few families well; the bracket nearest your own income is the more useful figure.
Median reported earnings six years after entry are $48,209, roughly 3.0 times a year of net price. That is a workable ratio, though it says nothing about how long the programme takes to finish.
Average net price reflects grant and scholarship aid for aided students, not a personal offer. Earnings cover former students who received federal aid; neither measure predicts an individual's outcome.
Academic & Financial Profile
Tuition & Costs
- In-State Tuition
- $12,338
- Out-of-State Tuition
- $19,531
- Avg Net Price
- $15,996
- Median Debt
- $25,000
- Pell Grant Recipients
- 35%
Admissions
- Acceptance Rate
- 96%
Outcomes
- 4-Year Graduation Rate
- 52%
- Retention Rate
- 75%
- Median Earnings (6yr)
- $48,209
- Median Earnings (10yr)
- $56,662
- Loan Repayment (3yr)
- 73%
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard. Methodology.
Similar Institutions
Showing 5 of 1,005 similar institutions by enrollment size.
Bucks County Community College
Newtown, PA · 6,232 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA · 6,237 enrolled
Safety Score 8.18
South Louisiana Community College
Lafayette, LA · 6,238 enrolled
Safety Score 0.00
Lehigh Carbon Community College
Schnecksville, PA · 6,221 enrolled
Safety Score 0.16
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA · 6,241 enrolled
Safety Score 3.20
Closest by National Rank
Salem State University (national rank #1589) sits near Fort Lewis College (#1588) and California State University-Channel Islands (#1590) on the scored national list, nearest by rank, not by size or state.
Fort Lewis College
Durango, CO
National Rank #1588
California State University-Channel Islands
Camarillo, CA
National Rank #1590
AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL
National Rank #1591
The University of Tennessee Southern
Pulaski, TN
National Rank #1587
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX
National Rank #1592
Nationwide campuses with similar scale or Clery rate
Two Clery-derived peer sets for Salem State University, both outside MA so the neighborhoods are not state containment (Similar Institutions and national-rank neighbors above stay enrollment- or rank-based).
Similar enrollment (nationwide)
California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt
Arcata, CA · 6,237 enrolled
Safety score 8.18
McNeese State University
Lake Charles, LA · 6,241 enrolled
Safety score 3.20
Tacoma Community College
Tacoma, WA · 6,199 enrolled
Safety score 1.94
Azusa Pacific University
Azusa, CA · 6,272 enrolled
Safety score 8.77
SUNY Buffalo State University
Buffalo, NY · 6,188 enrolled
Safety score 6.79
CUNY York College
Jamaica, NY · 6,174 enrolled
Safety score 0.16
Clayton State University
Morrow, GA · 6,163 enrolled
Safety score 12.17
Rhode Island College
Providence, RI · 6,155 enrolled
Safety score 2.27
Similar 2024 Clery rate (nationwide)
California State University-Channel Islands
Camarillo, CA · 5,592 enrolled
Safety score 4.83
Fort Lewis College
Durango, CO · 3,544 enrolled
Safety score 4.80
AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL · 1,861 enrolled
Safety score 4.84
Trinity University
San Antonio, TX · 2,687 enrolled
Safety score 4.84
State University of New York at Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh, NY · 4,540 enrolled
Safety score 4.85
The University of Tennessee Southern
Pulaski, TN · 1,046 enrolled
Safety score 4.78
University of Redlands
Redlands, CA · 3,087 enrolled
Safety score 4.86
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Cheyney, PA · 617 enrolled
Safety score 4.86
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salem State University safe?
Salem State University has a safety score of 4.82 (2024 on-campus Criminal Offenses and VAWA incidents per 1,000 enrolled students) and ranks #1,589 nationally out of 2,072 ranked institutions - nearest similar-enrollment comparison: Bucks County Community College (0.00/1k). Same-state same-level set: Suffolk University (1.42/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k).
What crimes are reported at Salem State University?
For calendar year 2024, Salem State University reported Rape (9), Burglary (8) and Fondling (4) in the Criminal Offenses section. Every other category in that section was reported at zero; other Clery tables are separate.
How does Salem State University compare to similar schools?
Salem State University reports 109% more 2024 score-category incidents per 1,000 than Bucks County Community College. Scored similar-enrollment peers on this page: Bucks County Community College (0.00/1k); California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt (8.18/1k); South Louisiana Community College (0.00/1k); Lehigh Carbon Community College (0.16/1k); McNeese State University (3.20/1k). Same-state same-level set: Suffolk University (1.42/1k); MCPHS University (0.17/1k); Fitchburg State University (1.87/1k); Merrimack College (1.88/1k); Worcester State University (1.91/1k); Bentley University (2.44/1k); Emerson College (1.71/1k); Brandeis University (2.31/1k).
Does Salem State University have fire safety data?
Yes. Salem State University reports fire safety data for on-campus residential facilities, including total fires, injuries, deaths, and fire damage categories. 1 fire was reported in the most recent year.
Every figure on PlainCampus is rendered directly from federal Clery Act source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal Clery Act source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice; the data describes reported on-campus activity, it is not a complete picture of safety at any campus and cannot predict any individual student's experience. See our appropriate use guidance.
PlainCampus is for informational purposes only and does not constitute safety, security, legal, or enrollment advice.