Emerson College
Boston, MA · Private four-year · City: Large
4,171undergraduates
51%admitted
Test-optionalSAT/ACT
$50,703average net price per year
79%graduate in 6 years
88%return for year two
Admissions
- Applicants
- 11,092
- Admitted
- 5,267
- Admit rate
- 51%
- Admit rate, women
- 49%
- Admit rate, men
- 43%
- Admitted students who enroll
- 19%
- First-year students
- 997
- SAT/ACT
- Test-optional
- Students who sent SAT scores
- 20%
- SAT reading and writing (middle 50%)
- 650-720
- SAT math (middle 50%)
- 600-690
- Students who sent ACT scores
- 7%
- ACT composite (middle 50%)
- 30-33
| High school GPA | Required |
|---|---|
| High school record | Required |
| College-prep coursework | Required |
| SAT or ACT scores | Considered, not required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Essay or personal statement | Required |
| Class rank | Considered, not required |
| Demonstrated competencies | Considered, not required |
| English proficiency test | Required |
| Work experience | Considered, not required |
| Legacy status | Not considered |
Majors
19 undergraduate programs that awarded a degree or certificate last year, grouped by field. Numbers are how many were awarded.
Visual and performing arts (8)
- Acting Bachelor's (14 awarded)
- Cinematography and Film/Video Production Bachelor's (470 awarded)
- Directing and Theatrical Production Bachelor's (10 awarded)
- Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General Bachelor's (48 awarded)
- Dramatic/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, Other Bachelor's (24 awarded)
- Music Performance, General Bachelor's (2 awarded)
- Musical Theatre Bachelor's (13 awarded)
- Technical Theatre/Theatre Design and Technology Bachelor's (14 awarded)
Communication, journalism, and related programs (5)
- Journalism Bachelor's (67 awarded)
- Political Communication Bachelor's (20 awarded)
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Bachelor's (24 awarded)
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric Bachelor's (41 awarded)
- Sports Communication Bachelor's (18 awarded)
English language and literature/letters (1)
- Creative Writing Bachelor's (116 awarded)
Business, management, marketing, and related support services (2)
- Business/Commerce, General Bachelor's (58 awarded)
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General Bachelor's (57 awarded)
Multi/interdisciplinary studies (1)
- Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other Bachelor's (24 awarded)
Education (1)
- Drama and Dance Teacher Education Bachelor's (14 awarded)
Health professions and related programs (1)
- Communication Sciences and Disorders, General Bachelor's (10 awarded)
Graduate programs (14)
- Speech-Language Pathology/Pathologist Master's
- Creative Writing Master's
- Communication and Media Studies, Other Master's
- Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia Master's
- Journalism Master's
- Political Communication Master's
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication Post-bachelor's certificate, Master's
- Publishing Master's
- Sports Communication Master's
- Business/Commerce, General Master's
- Marketing, Other Master's
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General Master's
- Drama and Dance Teacher Education Master's
- Playwriting and Screenwriting Master's
Cost and aid
- Tuition and fees, in-state
- $55,392
- Housing and food on campus
- $20,310
- Books and supplies
- $1,200
- Other on-campus costs
- $3,710
- Total cost on campus, in-state
- $80,612
- Total cost on campus, out-of-state
- $80,612
- Total cost living at home
- $60,496
Published prices for 2023-24.
| Family income | Per year |
|---|---|
| $0-30,000 | $31,412 |
| $30,001-48,000 | $34,742 |
| $48,001-75,000 | $39,297 |
| $75,001-110,000 | $43,628 |
| Over $110,000 | $55,833 |
Net price is the full cost minus grants and scholarships, for full-time first-year students who got aid in 2022-23.
- First-year students who got any aid
- 81%
- Got grants or scholarships
- 78%
- Average grant or scholarship
- $26,447
- Got a grant from the college
- 78%
- Average grant from the college
- $25,212
- Undergraduates with a Pell grant
- 15%
- First-year students who borrowed
- 50%
- Average amount borrowed
- $11,351
Graduation
- Bachelor's in 4 years
- 73%
- Bachelor's in 5 years
- 79%
- Bachelor's in 6 years
- 79%
- Bachelor's in 8 years
- 80%
- Any degree in 6 years (all students)
- 79%
- Came back for year two
- 88%
| Pell grant students | 75% |
|---|---|
| Subsidized loan, no Pell | 79% |
| Neither | 81% |
| Group | Students | Graduated |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 580 | 79% |
| Men | 351 | 79% |
| Asian | 50 | 76% |
| Black | 29 | 83% |
| Hispanic | 127 | 81% |
| White | 576 | 79% |
| Two or more races | 34 | 76% |
| Race unknown | 22 | 77% |
| International | 93 | 78% |
| Started | Students | Earned a degree or certificate here | Enrolled at another college |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started here, full-time | 991 | 78% | 15% |
| Transferred in, full-time | 208 | 87% | 10% |
| Transferred in, part-time | 3 | 67% (small group) | 0% |
Graduation rates follow students who started full-time for the first time in fall 2017. Groups under 20 students are marked because a few students change the rate a lot.
Students
- Total students
- 5,670
- Undergraduates
- 4,171
- Full-time undergraduates
- 4,107
- Part-time undergraduates
- 64
- Graduate students
- 1,499
- Students per faculty member
- 14 to 1
- First-year students from in state
- 15%
- From out of state
- 68%
- From other countries
- 17%
- Undergraduates age 25 and up
- 1%
- Undergraduates taking all classes online
- 0%
- Undergraduates registered with disability services
- 13%
| Women | 67% |
|---|---|
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 0% |
| Asian | 6% |
| Black | 5% |
| Hispanic | 11% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 55% |
| Two or more races | 5% |
| Race unknown | 2% |
| International | 16% |
Campus life
- Setting
- City: Large
- Address
- 120 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116-4624
- County
- Suffolk County
- Type
- Master's Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs
- Highest degree
- Master's degree
- Academic calendar
- Semester
- Athletics
- NCAA
- Teams include
- basketball, baseball, cross country and track
- Offers
- Study abroad, Teacher certification, Online programs, Credit for AP exams, Yellow Ribbon (veterans)
Source: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2022-23 to 2024-25 surveys), and the College Scorecard.