Emerson College
A good fit for students who prefer a mid-size campus. no major red flags in the data. strong 77% graduation rate.
About This School
Emerson College is a private nonprofit institution located in Boston, Massachusetts with approximately 3,870 undergraduate students enrolled. Emerson College has an open or accessible admissions process, with an acceptance rate of 51%. The average net price after financial aid is $49,180 per year. The graduation rate is 77%, and the typical graduate earns $51,200 within 10 years of enrollment.
Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a school of oratory. The school offers more than 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, as well as professional training, primarily focused on the arts and communication, grounded in a liberal arts framework. Emerson is a founding member of the ProArts Consortium, a collaborative association of six neighboring Boston-based institutions dedicated to collegiate-level arts education.
Worth considering if you're serious about communications, film, or the performing arts — this is one of the few colleges built entirely around those fields, and its Boston location opens real doors in media and entertainment. The 88% freshman retention rate suggests students are genuinely happy once they arrive, and median debt at graduation is a manageable $19,000. The honest concern is the $46,766 annual net price, which is steep when median earnings 10 years out land at $51,200 — so go in with a clear career plan, not just a passion.
Popular Programs
Percentage of degrees awarded. Source: College Scorecard.
Notable Alumni
Source: Wikidata. Used for context only.
Admissions
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Cost & Financial Aid
Net Price by Family Income
Average annual cost after grants/scholarships, by household income. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Financial Aid
Full Cost
After Graduation
Earnings 6 Years After Enrollment, by Gender
Gap: -8% less for female graduates. National avg ~16%.
Will This School Pay Off?
Solid return. Earnings outpace debt, though major choice matters.
Earnings data from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. These are means across all graduates, not specific to any major.
Student Body
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3,870 undergraduates).
Contact & Location
Official Links
Other Schools in Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Amherst, MA · Public
Boston University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
Northeastern University
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, MA · Public
University of Massachusetts-Lowell
Lowell, MA · Public
Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA · Private nonprofit
Sources & Methodology
Primary data source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Accessed via automated sync. Latest values may come from different reporting years depending on the metric.
School overview from Wikipedia. Used for context only, not as a primary data source for admissions, cost, or outcomes claims.
- Earnings figures are institution-level averages, not major-specific.
- Some metrics are based on Title IV financial aid recipients only.
- Some values may be privacy-suppressed or rolled up by the Department of Education.
- Contact the school directly for current admissions requirements and costs.
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