Salem State University vs Sonoma State University

Salem, MA · Rohnert Park, CA · largest Scorecard gap: median debt at graduation

Scorecard match plate

Pair MA:CA

PUBLIC-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-OPEN · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-SPLIT · COMPLETE-PAR · GAP-DEBT

  • PUBLIC-PAIR Public pair
  • CROSS-STATE MA × CA
  • ACCEPT-OPEN Open admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • COMPLETE-PAR Completion near-par
  • GAP-DEBT Largest gap · Median Debt at Graduation

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Net-price paths do not share a shape

NET-SPLIT · 2013–2023

One school has a directional average-net-price path over 2013–2023; the other sits in a measured range (or the two move opposite ways). Cost gaps on this board are moving targets.

  • Sonoma State University: net price ranged $6,230–$17,563 across 11 years (2013–2023); endpoint change -20.5% is not a trend (r² 0.21).
  • Salem State University: average net price rose +19.6% from $15,420 (2013) to $18,441 (2023), r² 0.51.
  • Salem State University: acceptance rate eased +37.9% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.97).
  • Sonoma State University: acceptance rate eased +15.7% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.77).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Salem State University vs Sonoma State University

  1. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Sonoma State University leads on median debt at graduation ($16,705 vs $25,000 at Salem State University)
  2. IN-STATE-TUITION Sonoma State University leads on in-state tuition ($8,624 vs $12,338 at Salem State University)
  3. AVG-NET-PRICE Sonoma State University leads on avg net price ($12,885 vs $15,996 at Salem State University)

Salem State University profile · Sonoma State University profile · Compare other colleges

Median Debt at Graduation and other Scorecard questions

On median debt at graduation, who leads between Salem State University and Sonoma State University?
Sonoma State University leads on median debt at graduation at $16,705 versus $25,000 at Salem State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On in-state tuition, who leads between Salem State University and Sonoma State University?
Sonoma State University leads on in-state tuition at $8,624 versus $12,338 at Salem State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On avg net price, who leads between Salem State University and Sonoma State University?
Sonoma State University leads on avg net price at $12,885 versus $15,996 at Salem State University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); median debt at graduation focus for this pair · 2025