Admit rate has ranged 33%–47% over the last 5 years — notably volatile. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Emerson College is a fiercely creative hub where future filmmakers, writers, marketers, and performers sharpen their craft in the heart of Boston. With a 51% acceptance rate and a median SAT range of 1270–1420, it attracts students who thrive in its hands-on, arts-driven curriculum—think film production labs, student-run media outlets, and a campus that doubles as a professional network. The school’s 79% six-year graduation rate and 90% postgraduate employment track record reflect its industry clout, though the $50,703 net price (after aid) demands serious financial planning.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
3,870
In-state tuition
$57,056
Out-of-state tuition
$57,056
Location
Boston, MA
Acceptance Rate
39–51%
Student-Faculty Ratio
13:1
6-Year Graduation Rate
79%
Financial Aid Recipients
48.6%
Postgrad Employment Rate
90%
Median Early-Career Earnings
$36,427
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$62,832
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
1.3×
Median debt at graduation
$23,000
Graduation rate
77%
First-year retention
87%
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
78%
Pell (lower-income) share
32%
First-generation share
13%
Endowment / student
$68,410
Financial health
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Marketing$44,327
Journalism$38,953
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication$38,289
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas$35,600
Radio, Television, and Digital Communication$32,264
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
1
Per 1,000 students
0.26
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
91
Summer high
81°F
Winter low
25°F
Annual rain
49"
Annual snow
31.4"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Moderate
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
105
Scholarly works
2,114
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
1.1%
Bottom → top quintile
27%
From bottom quintile
4%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Emerson College?
Emerson College's acceptance rate is approximately 51% (Boston, MA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Emerson College?
Admitted students at Emerson College typically score 1270–1420 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Emerson College cost?
At Emerson College, the average net price (after aid) is about $49,180 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Emerson College?
Emerson College enrolls approximately 3,870 undergraduate students.
Where is Emerson College located?
Emerson College is located in Boston, MA.
Admissions
Emerson’s admissions process is selective but not cutthroat, with Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants. fluctuating between 39% (Class of 2028) and 51% in recent years. The middle 50% of admitted students boast SAT scores of 1270–1420 or ACT scores of 27–32. Notably, the college received 14,936 applications for Fall 2024, admitting 5,708—a sharp increase in selectivity from previous cycles. While Emerson doesn’t publish a Common Data Set (CDS)A standardized report most colleges publish each year with admissions, test-score, and financial-aid figures, making schools easier to compare. (a sore point for transparency advocates), its admissions office emphasizes Holistic admissionsA review that weighs the whole applicant — grades, essays, activities, and context — rather than relying on test scores and GPA alone., with portfolios or auditions required for programs like film and performing arts.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
$32,021
Film/Video and Photographic Arts$29,081
Communication and Media Studies$28,212
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
Emerson’s academic identity orbits around storytelling in all its forms, with film production, creative writing, and journalism dominating the majors list. The college offers 27 undergraduate majors and 30 minors, all infused with a liberal arts core but laser-focused on practical skills. A 13:1 student-faculty ratio ensures small classes (74% have fewer than 20 students), while faculty often double as working professionals—think NPR journalists or indie filmmakers. The marketing communications program, in particular, earns raves from alumni for its industry connections. Graduate programs like the low-residency MFA in creative writing extend Emerson’s reach beyond undergrads.
Top Majors: Film/Video Production, Creative Writing, Journalism
Student-Faculty Ratio: 13:1
Signature Perks: Hands-on labs (e.g., Emerson Channel TV station), L.A. semester program
Emerson’s urban campus in Boston’s Theatre District buzzes with DIY creativity, though it’s not a party school. Dorms like the ‘Little Building’ (LB) earn praise for their social vibe, while student-run media (newspaper, radio, TV) dominate extracurriculars. The party scene is ‘incredibly minimal’ (per Reddit), but cultural events—film festivals, improv shows, guest lectures by media heavyweights—fill the calendar. Housing is guaranteed for four years, a rarity in Boston, though some complain about cramped quarters. The vibe is unabashedly artsy: expect midnight screenplay brainstorming sessions and classmates who debate Oscar nominees over coffee.
Emerson’s industry pipeline is its superpower: 90% of 2023 grads landed jobs or further education within six months, with a median early-career salary of $36,427. The six-year graduation rate sits at 79%, outperforming many arts-focused peers. Alumni permeate media giants (Comedy Central, Penguin Random House) and Hollywood—think The Office writer-producer Greg Daniels (’84). The Career Development Center touts a ‘90% employed’ grad school outcome rate, though earnings data suggests creative fields’ lower starting salaries. Still, the Emerson name opens doors: ‘No one asks if you went to a ‘good’ school—they ask if you can deliver,’ notes one alum.
Emerson’s sticker shock is real—the Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. after aid averages $50,703, with 48.6% of students receiving financial aid (average package: $37,801). Merit scholarships like the $7,500/semester ‘Trustee Award’ require a 3.0 GPA to renew. Families report frustration with aid gaps: one Facebook poster cited a $62K net price despite a $26K SAI (Student Aid Index). The college offers a net price calculator, but its opacity around aid formulas (no Common Data Set (CDS)A standardized report most colleges publish each year with admissions, test-score, and financial-aid figures, making schools easier to compare.) complicates planning. For creative students weighing ROI, Emerson’s career network often justifies the cost—but only if they’re ready to hustle.
Emerson doesn’t just teach the arts—it lives them. From its prime Boston location (steps from theaters and PR firms) to its ‘no boring lectures’ ethos, the college is a launchpad for students who see the world through a creative lens. Unlike larger universities, it avoids academic sprawl—every program ties back to storytelling, whether through a camera, pen, or marketing plan. The trade-off? Limited STEM offerings and a price tag that demands confidence in one’s artistic path. But for those all-in on media, Emerson offers something rare: a campus that feels like a professional cohort, years before graduation.
Emerson College logo · sourceDowntown Boston Campus, Emerson College · sourceAbout Community, Mission & Values, History, Emerson College · sourceVisit Our Campuses, Emerson College · source
