wfmynews2.com · Oct 13, 2026
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem, NC · Public · 4,170 undergraduates
HBCU
View all rankings (19)
Ranks compare the colleges included in each category. Changes below refer to the last 30 days. How rankings work
College Index#982 / 1,219Top Salaries#972 / 1,208Best Value#403 / 1,187Most Affordable#482 / 1,211Academic Excellence#961 / 1,205Best Athletics#342 / 1,219Best Social Life#597 / 1,111Most Diverse#1132 / 1,219Most Buzzy#162 / 1,191Safest Campuses#860 / 1,191Best Weather#399 / 1,219Highest Graduation Rates#884 / 1,185Lowest Student Debt#378 / 1,205Best Retention#732 / 1,202Best for First-Gen Students#798 / 1,165Best HBCUs#16 / 55Best Urban Schools#525 / 632Best Public Universities#449 / 530Higher-Admit, High-Value Colleges#804 / 1,027
At a glance — A mid-size public school in Winston-Salem, NC.
Admissions & student progress
See the reported academic profile and how students progress through college.
Graduation & retention
Graduation rate47.6%
Graduation rateHigher than ~25%
Median 59.1% · 1,185 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for Graduation rate
Middle 50%: 47.4%–70.7%
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
First-year retention77.3%
Retention rateHigher than ~47%
Median 77.9% · 1,202 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for Retention rate
Middle 50%: 70.9%–85.2%
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
Retention tracks full-time, first-time students returning for a second year. Graduation describes the source’s entering cohort; its completion window is not recorded in this published snapshot.
Reported test-score averages
SAT average 945
SAT averageHigher than ~3%
Median 1184 · 843 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for SAT average
Middle 50%: 1090–1287
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
ACT midpoint 17
ACT midpointHigher than ~1%
Median 24 · 768 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for ACT midpoint
Middle 50%: 22–28
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
Scores describe students who submitted tests. Test-optional policies and reporting coverage can affect comparisons.
Source: College Scorecard institution data. Measurement period: not recorded in the published data. Site data refresh: 2026-08-30. Source dates & coverage
Cost & Aid
Start with annual costs, then estimate how grants and scholarships could change what your family pays.
Annual tuition & fees
$6,126
In-state · Per academic year, before aid
Housing, meals, books, and other living expenses are additional.
Annual net cost after aid
$13,479
Historical average per academic year · In-state students
Includes tuition and living costs, minus grants and scholarships, for first-time, full-time undergraduates receiving federal aid.
This in-state average stays the same when you switch tuition residency. Out-of-state aid and net costs can differ.
Estimate your family's cost
Your household income, assets, residency, and aid eligibility affect your price. Use the school's calculator for a personal estimate.
Opens this school's federal College Navigator record, which lists its calculator link. You can also visit the school's website.
Median federal debt at graduation
$25,000
Total accumulated debt among graduates who borrowed federal student loans. Excludes private and parent loans.
Students receiving Pell Grants
64.9%
Share of undergraduates receiving this need-based federal grant.
Annual net costLower than ~80%
Median $20k · 1,195 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for Annual net cost
Middle 50%: $14,471–$26,504
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
Total federal debtLower than ~31%
Median $23k · 1,205 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for Total federal debt
Middle 50%: $19,750–$25,439
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
Earnings-to-net-price ratio: 3.4×. Compares annual earnings 10 years after enrollment with one year of net cost; it does not measure lifetime return.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Reporting years are unavailable for these imported figures and may differ by measure.
Source retrieved: 2026-07-15 · Site data refresh: 2026-08-30. These dates are separate from the years measured.
Majors & outcomes
Explore fields of study alongside school-wide earnings.
Popular majors
Explore all majors →Select a major to explore other colleges offering it. Shares are of the 393 completions across these 5 listed majors, not all degrees awarded by this college.
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing139 completions · 35.4% of listed
- Health and Medical Administrative Services83 completions · 21.1% of listed
- Business Administration, Management and Operations71 completions · 18.1% of listed
- Biology, General59 completions · 15.0% of listed
- Health and Physical Education/Fitness41 completions · 10.4% of listed
Gender breakdown by major
Reported male/female shares from IPEDS bachelor's completions, first majors (2023-24). Shares use the reported gender counts, which can differ in coverage or year from the completion totals above.
- Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing6.5% male · 93.5% female
- Health and Medical Administrative Services9.6% male · 90.4% female
- Business Administration, Management and Operations38.0% male · 62.0% female
- Biology, General11.9% male · 88.1% female
- Health and Physical Education/Fitness63.4% male · 36.6% female
Completions: IPEDS 2023-24 where available; otherwise College Scorecard program data (reporting year unavailable). This is a selection of popular bachelor's majors, not the full program catalog.
Earnings after enrollment
- 6 years after enrollment
- $40,557
- 10 years after enrollment
- $45,344
Median annual earnings
Median annual earnings
10-year median earningsHigher than ~16%
Median $56k · 1,203 reporting colleges. Show comparison details for 10-year median earnings
Middle 50%: $48,449–$64,997
Compared with colleges with reported data in College Index. Percentiles are rounded and split tied values evenly.
The dot marks this college, the line marks the median, and the shaded band shows the middle 50%. The axis covers the 10th–90th percentiles; values beyond it appear at the edges.
School-wide outcomes for federally aided students who are working and not enrolled at the measurement date, including students who did not graduate. These are not program-specific earnings or starting salaries.
Source: College Scorecard institution data. Measurement period: not recorded in the published data. Site data refresh: 2026-08-30. Source dates & coverage
Trends over time
See how published rankings and reported outcomes change across available observations.
Ending Aug 30, 2026
Up 3 places, from #985 to #982 (Mar 14, 2026 to Aug 30, 2026).
Winston-Salem State University
Hover, tap, or focus a point to see the exact date and value.
View data table (10 dates)
| Publication date | Winston-Salem State University |
|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2026 | #985 |
| Jun 29, 2026 | #978 |
| Jul 9, 2026 | #982 |
| Jul 15, 2026 | #982 |
| Jul 26, 2026 | #982 |
| Aug 2, 2026 | #982 |
| Aug 9, 2026 | #982 |
| Aug 16, 2026 | #982 |
| Aug 23, 2026 | #982 |
| Aug 30, 2026 | #982 |
Source: archived College Index editions, dated by publication. Changes in methodology or the colleges included can move a rank. The lines show recorded ranks, not changes in school quality. Sources & methodology
Campus life
Explore the community, surroundings, and activities that shape everyday life.
Student community
4,170 undergraduate students
- Men
- 26.4%
- Women
- 73.6%
35.4% first-generation students in the reported cohort
Race & ethnicity
- White
- 4.9%
- Black
- 83.2%
- Hispanic
- 4.8%
- Asian
- 0.6%
- Other / unclassified
- 1.4%
Source: College Scorecard institution data. Measurement period: not recorded in the published data. Site data refresh: 2026-08-30. Source dates & coverage
Reported campus safety
86.81 reported incidents per 1,000 students
On-campus reports include offenses, arrests, and disciplinary referrals. Reporting practices affect comparisons.
Incident breakdown & score definition
- Violent offenses / VAWA reports
- 50
- Property offenses
- 64
- Drug, alcohol & weapons reports
- 248
Counts are the pipeline’s rounded annual averages over up to three survey years; specific years are not recorded in this published snapshot. The incident rate divides the combined count by reported undergraduate enrollment.
79.4 / 100
The safety index scales reported incidents per student against other included colleges. Higher scores mean a lower relative reported rate; they do not establish that a campus is safe or predict individual risk.
Source: Campus Safety and Security Survey. Measurement period: not recorded in the published data. Site data refresh: 2026-08-30. Source dates & coverage
Compare reported safety measuresCampus weather
Mild and partly sunny
- Average temperature
- 52°F
- Sunny days
- 209
- Rainfall
- 45 in
- Snowfall
- 7 in
- Relative humidity
- 67%
September–May
Per year
Per year
Per year
Average
Climate baseline & score
63 / 100
The weather score reflects preferences for mild temperatures and sunshine. These climate averages describe long-term conditions, not a current forecast.
Source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals. Measurement period: 1991-2020 normals. Source dates & coverage
Athletics
26.8 / 100
Athletics details & score definition
A published composite of championship history, institutional characteristics, and available athletics and interest measures. It does not measure the experience of an individual athlete or access to a team.
Financial and sports-count details are unavailable from an approved athletics source. Legacy estimates are omitted.
Athletics ranking & methodologyRecent news (5)
Winston-Salem State · Oct 13, 2026
YES! Weekly · Oct 8, 2026
Old Gold & Black · Oct 9, 2026
HBCU Gameday · Oct 9, 2026
Source: Google News. Headlines link to external publishers.
Similar Schools
These colleges have the closest mix of available scores across academics, value, outcomes, and campus life. Cost and admission-rate differences below are relative to Winston-Salem State University.
Bowie State University
Bowie, MD · Public
Closest score matches: athletics (less than 1 point apart) and social life (less than 1 point apart).
- Avg net price / year
- $19,298
- $5,819 more per year
- Admission rate
- 72.4%
- 5.8 percentage points lower
Virginia State University
Petersburg, VA · Public
Closest score matches: diversity (less than 1 point apart) and value (2 points apart).
- Avg net price / year
- $15,840
- $2,361 more per year
- Admission rate
- 88.6%
- 10.4 percentage points higher
Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO · Public
Closest score matches: social life (less than 1 point apart) and earnings (2 points apart).
- Avg net price / year
- $16,244
- $2,765 more per year
- Admission rate
- 86.1%
- 7.8 percentage points higher
Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA · Public
Closest score matches: athletics (less than 1 point apart) and value (2 points apart).
- Avg net price / year
- $15,282
- $1,803 more per year
- Admission rate
- 87.8%
- 9.5 percentage points higher
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg, KS · Public
Closest score matches: value (less than 1 point apart) and athletics (1 point apart).
- Avg net price / year
- $15,784
- $2,305 more per year
- Admission rate
- 89.4%
- 11.2 percentage points higher
Albany State University
Albany, GA · Public
Closest score matches: value (less than 1 point apart) and affordability (1 point apart).
- Avg net price / year
- $11,898
- $1,581 less per year
- Admission rate
- N/A
- Admission-rate difference unavailable
Net prices are historical averages after grants and scholarships; your offer may differ. Admission rates describe past applicants and do not predict your chances.
Social life
33.9 / 100
A campus-life estimate using institutional characteristics and available interest signals.
What this score measures
Inputs can include student population, admission rate, campus setting, climate, and party or Greek-life search interest. This is a proxy score, not a student satisfaction survey or a count of clubs and activities.
The current source policy excludes legacy simulated search-interest data. Published scores may come from an earlier snapshot; no raw search-interest figures are shown here.
Social life ranking & methodology