Best Online Engineering Programs in Salem, MA (2026)

Salem, Massachusetts has a population of about 44,241. The city’s median household income is $85,137 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 49.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 65 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Salem, with tuition ranging from $67,844 to $84,600 per year for indexed programs. In the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $178,800 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).


Closest Engineering Schools to Salem

The 10 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 65 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Salem. Distances are calculated from Salem city center.

SchoolCityDistanceTuitionOnline
Endicott CollegeBeverly, MA4.2 miContact school for pricing
North Shore Community CollegeDanvers, MA6.3 miContact school for pricing
Bunker Hill Community CollegeBoston, MA12.8 miContact school for pricing
Tufts UniversityMedford, MA13.2 mi$67,844 - $84,600
Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of TechnologyBoston, MA14.4 miContact school for pricing
Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyCambridge, MA14.4 miContact school for pricing
Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA14.6 miContact school for pricing
Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA15.3 miContact school for pricing
Northeastern University Professional ProgramsBoston, MA15.3 miContact school for pricing
Boston UniversityBoston, MA15.3 miContact school for pricing

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Massachusetts schools on the Massachusetts engineering page.


Engineering Wages Near Salem

Salem is part of the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area (BLS area code 14460). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Massachusetts statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
Civil Engineer$104,750Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,722
Electrical Engineer$127,520Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$117,747
Mechanical Engineer$124,160Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$114,645
Chemical Engineer$122,190Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$112,825
Aerospace Engineer$151,080Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$139,501
Biomedical Engineer$110,880Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$102,382
Environmental Engineer$116,980Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$108,015
Architectural and Engineering Manager$178,800Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$165,097

Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Salem at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population44,241Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$85,137Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+49.6%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)108.3 (above U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024
Engineering-related employment in Essex County2,770 workers, 382 establishmentsBLS QCEW 2024 annual

Other Salem-Area Cities With Engineering Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited engineering schools are near Salem, MA?

Our directory has 65 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Salem. The closest is Endicott College in Beverly, MA (4.2 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is Boston University (15.3 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Salem?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Salem are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($178,800), Aerospace Engineer ($151,080), Electrical Engineer ($127,520). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Massachusetts statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Peabody instead of Salem?

Peabody, MA is 3.8 miles from Salem and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Salem an affordable place to study engineering?

Salem’s median household income of $85,137 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Salem while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Massachusetts public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.