Emerson College
Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · offers Graduate degrees
51%Acceptance rate
$49,180Average net price / year
77%Graduation rate
$62,832Median earnings 10 yrs after entry
$23,000Median debt at graduation
3,870Undergraduates
Cost
- In-state tuition & fees
- $57,056
- Total cost of attendance
- $80,399
- Room & board
- $20,920
- Books & supplies
- $1,250
- Average net price
- $49,180
Net price by family income
- $0–30k
- $32,650
- $30–48k
- $32,621
- $48–75k
- $41,927
- $75–110k
- $46,252
- $110k+
- $57,288
Admissions
- Acceptance rate
- 51.3%
- Average SAT
- 1358
- SAT reading (25–75%)
- 660–720
- SAT math (25–75%)
- 610–700
- ACT composite (25–75%)
- 29–32
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 77%
- First-year retention
- 87%
- Median earnings (6 yrs)
- $42,799
- Median earnings (10 yrs)
- $62,832
- Median debt (graduates)
- $23,000
- 3-year loan default rate
- 0.0%
- Students with Pell grants
- 16%
- Students with federal loans
- 43%
Programs: what graduates earn
19 of 25 programs have published earnings or debt data. Earnings are median salaries of graduates one year after completing the program (or the latest available year).
Bachelor's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Communication and Media Studies | 24 | $44,108 | $23,717 |
| Marketing | 41 | $41,651 | $21,500 |
| Journalism | 68 | $39,703 | $23,610 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other | 19 | $39,183 | $23,500 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 92 | $33,441 | $23,776 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | 44 | $28,606 | $23,719 |
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts | 298 | $27,032 | $23,250 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 102 | $19,560 | $25,000 |
| Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | 1 | $40,506 | — |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 9 | $61,496 | $26,000 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 11 | $41,506 | — |
Master's degree
| Program | Graduates | Earnings | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing | 35 | $67,474 | $41,000 |
| Communication Disorders Sciences and Services | 309 | $61,401 | $54,435 |
| Publishing | 33 | $44,046 | $44,360 |
| Journalism | 17 | $43,011 | — |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | 67 | $40,714 | $61,500 |
| Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas | 22 | $40,575 | $41,000 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft | 21 | $39,309 | $41,000 |
| Communication and Media Studies | 17 | $50,740 | — |
Students
- Undergraduates
- 3,870
- Graduate students
- 1,549
- Part-time
- 1%
- Women / men
- 66% / 34%
- White
- 55%
- Hispanic
- 12%
- Black
- 6%
- Asian
- 6%
- International
- 15%
Faculty & school
- Student–faculty ratio
- 14:1
- Avg faculty salary
- $106,677 / year
- Full-time faculty
- 32%
- Accreditor
- New England Commission on Higher Education
- Website
- www.emerson.edu
- Also known as
- Emerson
Most popular fields
- Communication & Journalism – 15% of degrees
- Education – 2% of degrees
- English – 12% of degrees
- Interdisciplinary Studies – 1% of degrees
- Visual & Performing Arts – 55% of degrees
- Health Professions – 2% of degrees
Frequently asked questions
What is the acceptance rate at Emerson College?
51.3% of applicants were admitted, and admitted students averaged 1358 on the SAT.
How much does Emerson College cost?
The average net price after grants is $49,180 per year; in-state tuition and fees are $57,056 and the full cost of attendance is $80,399.
How much do Emerson College graduates earn?
Students who enrolled earn a median of $62,832 ten years later. See the program table above for salaries by major.
What is the graduation rate?
77% of first-time, full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Other colleges in Boston
| College | Net price | Acceptance | Graduation | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 18,248 students |
$24,402 | 11% | 89% | $83,238 |
| Northeastern University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 17,326 students |
$30,915 | 5% | 91% | $92,538 |
| University of Massachusetts-Boston Boston, MA · Public · 11,512 students |
$17,707 | 84% | 49% | $65,865 |
| Bunker Hill Community College Boston, MA · Public · 8,612 students |
$7,818 | — | 13% | $47,618 |
| Berklee College of Music Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 7,468 students |
$49,465 | 44% | 67% | $33,647 |
| Suffolk University Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 4,268 students |
$29,618 | 82% | 61% | $67,506 |
| Wentworth Institute of Technology Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 3,747 students |
$34,170 | 91% | 68% | $82,721 |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 3,451 students |
$39,545 | 85% | 62% | $125,557 |
| Emmanuel College Boston, MA · Private nonprofit · 1,854 students |
$26,706 | 76% | 68% | $68,245 |
| Massachusetts College of Art and Design Boston, MA · Public · 1,831 students |
$24,100 | 76% | 69% | $43,582 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, June 2026 release.