About

About Emerson College

communications arts focuscreative arts emphasisselective private universitymedia industry connections

Emerson College is a private university in Boston, MA, known for its communications arts focus, creative arts emphasis, and selective private university. With an acceptance rate of 43%, Emerson College is moderately selective, typically enrolling around 1,002 students each year. Emerson College is test optional; students who submit scores are typically admitted with SATs between 1250–1430, though many competitive applicants choose not to submit. Emerson College offers merit scholarships regardless of financial need, with awards averaging $26,311 per year; the sticker price of $75,040 may look very different from what your family actually pays.

Admissions

Emerson College acceptance rate and admitted student profile

moderately selective

43%
Overall Accept Rate
1340
Median Admitted SAT
SATSubmitted score range: 1250 – 1430 (test optional)

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Application Strategy

Strategy tips for applying to Emerson College

The first 2 tips apply to all applicants. Your personalized strategy requires your profile — build your free list to unlock it.

Essay Strategy
Emerson is built around creative and communication arts, so your essays and any supplemental writing should reflect a genuine, specific passion for your intended field, whether that is film, journalism, marketing communication, or performance. Generic statements about loving storytelling will blend in, but a concrete example of a project you created or a problem you solved through your craft will stand out.
Application Strategy
Apply to a specific program at Emerson rather than treating it as a general liberal arts school. Admissions readers want to see that you understand exactly what the Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies, the School of the Arts, or the School of Communication offers and why that program fits your goals better than a comparable program elsewhere.

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Financial Aid & Cost

What Emerson College actually costs your family

Average net prices by income bracket from College Scorecard data.

Family IncomeSticker PriceEst. Net Cost / yr
0-30k~$75k/yr$32.6k
30k-48k~$75k/yr$32.6k
48k-75k~$75k/yr$41.9k
75k-110k~$75k/yr$46.3k
110k+~$75k/yr$57.3k

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Outcomes & Campus

Student outcomes and campus profile

79%
6-Year Graduation Rate
$43k
Median Earnings (6 yrs)
13:1
Student-Faculty Ratio
4,386
Undergrad Enrollment
Emerson College Acceptance Rate & Admissions | SpearMatch