Salem College, a women’s liberal arts educational institution in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, has received the largest number of applications in its history. This is the college’s fourth consecutive year of record-breaking growth in student applicants.
For the 2025-2026 academic year, 3,219 students applied to enroll in Salem College’s Class of 2029 – a 43 percent increase from 2024 and a 454 percent increase since May 2021. For the first time, the majority of applicants live outside of North Carolina. Also for the first time, the college received an application from every U.S. state.
The fall 2025 incoming class at Salem College consists of 210 students – 176 first-year and 34 transfer students. This is the fifth class in the college’s history with more than 200 incoming students. With an average high school GPA of 3.7, the incoming students hail from 19 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
“Since 2021, Salem’s transformation into America’s Health Leadership College has been recognized by students, families, and high school counselors from across the nation,” said Salem Academy and College President Summer McGhee. “We are so proud that Salem is again seen as the place for women who seek to become leaders in health, now the world’s top field for job growth. In addition, Salem has added new programs in fields like computer science and digital marketing, new NCAA sports, and innovative new spaces for learning, all of which position students for success.”