Emerson College

www.emerson.edu

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2024 Undergraduate Tuition

$56,032

4.1% growth from 2023

2024 Average Net Price

$53,432

After Financial Aid

2024 Acceptance Rate

51.3%

10,378 Applicants

2024 Enrolled Students

5,263

90.8% Full-Time

2024 Graduation Rate

77.1%

711 Graduates

About

Emerson College is a higher education institution located in Suffolk County, MA. In 2024, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at Emerson College were Cinematography & Film Production (470 degrees awarded), Creative Writing (118 degrees), and Journalism (67 degrees).

In 2024, 1,721 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at Emerson College. 73.6% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 26.4% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (936 degrees), 4.03 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (232 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at Emerson College is $56,032, which is $32,032 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Masters Colleges and Universities

Costs

In 2024, the median undergraduate tuition at Emerson College is $56,032, which is $32,032 more than the national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $53,432.

In 2024, 75% of undergraduate students attending Emerson College received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 43% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$56,032

2024 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2024, the cost of tuition at Emerson College was $56,032. The cost of tuition at Emerson College is $32,032 more than than the overall (public and private) national average for Masters Colleges and Universities ($24,000).

This chart compares the tuition costs of Emerson College (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$53,432

2024 Value

5.38%

1 Year Growth

In 2024 Emerson College had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $53,432. Between 2023 and 2024, the average net price of Emerson College grew by 5.38%.

This chart compares the average net price of Emerson College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$18,480

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at Emerson College was of $18,480 in 2024. The cost of room and board increased by 2.16% between 2023 and 2024.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at Emerson College (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

75%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

43%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

75% of undergraduate students at Emerson College received financial aid through grants or loans in 2024. This represents a decline of 2.6% with respect to 2023, when 77% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at Emerson College (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Admissions

Emerson College received 10,378 undergraduate applications in 2024, which represents a 6.44% annual growth. Out of those 10,378 applicants, 5,325 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 51.3% acceptance rate.

There were 5,263 students enrolled at Emerson College in 2024. 16% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

Emerson College has an overall enrollment yield of 15.5%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

51.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2024

5,325

Accepted Out of 10,378

In 2024, the undergraduate acceptance rate of Emerson College was 51.3% (5,325 admissions from 10,378 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2023, which was 47.5%. Between 2023 and 2024, the number of applicants declined by 6.44%, while admissions grew by 1.1%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of Emerson College (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

16%

Submission Percentage (2024)

130

Scores Submitted (2024)

16% of enrolled first-time students at Emerson College in 2024 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

Emerson College had a total enrollment of 5,263 students in 2024. The full-time enrollment at Emerson College is 4,779 students and the part-time enrollment is 484. This means that 90.8% of students enrolled at Emerson College are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at Emerson College, both undergraduate and graduate, is 54.3% White, 12.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.76% Black or African American, 5.45% Asian, 4.52% Two or More Races, 0.133% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.076% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at Emerson College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (35.7%), followed by White Male (19.2%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (7.64%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Female (46.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino Female (13.3%) and White Male (8.54%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

90.8%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at Emerson College in 2024, both undergraduate and graduate, is 5,263 students. The full-time enrollment at Emerson College is 4,779 and the part-time enrollment is 484. This means that 90.8% of students enrolled at Emerson College are enrolled full-time compared with 67.1% at similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at Emerson College (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

87%

2024 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at Emerson College was 87%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Masters Colleges and Universities (73%), Emerson College had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at Emerson College (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
2,860 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
674 enrolled students
Black or African American
356 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at Emerson College is 54.3% White, 12.8% Hispanic or Latino, 6.76% Black or African American, 5.45% Asian, 4.52% Two or More Races, 0.133% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.076% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Masters Colleges and Universities is 47.4% White, 18.8% Hispanic or Latino, and 13.6% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 150 students (2.85%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2024, 811 more women than men received degrees from Emerson College. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at Emerson College is white (936 degrees awarded). There were 4.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (232 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at Emerson College is Cinematography & Film Production (470 degrees awarded), followed by Creative Writing (118 degrees) and Journalism (67 degrees).

In 2024, the most specialized majors across all degree types at Emerson College, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are English (228 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (613 degrees), and Communications (283 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Registered nurses

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Emerson College are Registered nurses (1,627,694 people), Accountants & auditors (1,071,906 people), Other managers (1,043,216 people), Financial managers (584,672 people), and Chief executives & legislators (511,237 people).

The most specialized majors at Emerson College in 2024 are English (228 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (613 degrees), Communications (283 degrees), Health (336 degrees), and Business (180 degrees) (as of 2024).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Surgeons

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Emerson College are Surgeons, Physicians, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Nurse anesthetists, and Chief executives & legislators

The most specialized majors at Emerson College are English (228 degrees awarded), Visual & Performing Arts (613 degrees), Communications (283 degrees), Health (336 degrees), and Business (180 degrees) (as of 2024).

Common Industries by Major

General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at Emerson College are General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (2,064,906 people), Elementary & secondary schools (1,286,138 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (861,116 people), Computer Systems Design (824,604 people), and Construction (531,743 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by Emerson College.

Most Common (2024)

Cinematography & Film Production
470 degrees awarded
Creative Writing
118 degrees awarded
Journalism
67 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common bachelors degree concentration at Emerson College was Cinematography & Film Production with 470 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at Emerson College according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

455

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2024

1,266

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2024

In 2024, 455 degrees were awarded to men at Emerson College, which is 0.359 times less than the number of degrees awarded to females (1,266).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at Emerson College by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2024, 217 degrees were awarded to men at Emerson College in Cinematography & Film Production, which is 0.858 times less than the 253 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2024, 312 degrees were awarded to men at Emerson College in Speech-Language Pathology, which is 22.3 times more than the 14 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

73%

100% Completion Time

77%

150% Completion Time

In 2024, 73% of students graduating from Emerson College completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 77% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 77% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Masters Colleges and Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Black or African American Male

Highest Graduation Rate (88.9%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2024 at Emerson College is Male and Black or African American (88.9% graduation rate). Across all Masters Colleges and Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (75.5%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 1.84% of graduates (13 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2024)

White
936 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
232 degrees awarded
Asian
101 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at Emerson College is white (936 degrees awarded). There were 4.03 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (232 degrees).

1.98% of degree recipients (34 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2024)

White Female
681 degrees awarded
White Female
605 degrees awarded
White Female
567 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at Emerson College is white female (681 degrees awarded). There were 1.13 times more white female recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (605 degrees).

Operations

Emerson College has an endowment valued at nearly $265M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The return on its endowment was of 39.9M (15.1%) compared to the 9.2% average return (4.22M on 45.9M) across all Masters Colleges and Universities.

In 2024, Emerson College had a total salary expenditure of 268M. Emerson College employs 74 Assistant professors, 69 Associate professors and 47 Professors. Most academics at Emerson College are Female Assistant professor (47), Male Associate professor (37), and Female Associate professor (32).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at Emerson College are: Management, with 185 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media, with 157 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 78 employees.

Endowment

$265M

2024 Endowment

9.98%

growth from 2023

Emerson College has an endowment valued at about $265M, as of the end of the 2024 fiscal year. The endowment of Emerson College grew 9.98% from the previous year. The value of their endowment was $219M higher than than the median endowment of Masters Colleges and Universities according to the Carnegie Classification grouping.

This line chart shows how the endowment at Emerson College (in red) compares to that of some similar universities.

The small bar chart below shows the endowment quintiles for all universities in the Masters Colleges & Universities: Larger Programs Carnegie Classification grouping.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$1.46M - Federal
$255k - State
$33.9k - Local

As of 2024, Emerson College received $1.46M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $255k from state grants and contracts, and $33.9k from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$105M

2024 Salaries

10.3%

growth from 2023

In 2024, Emerson College paid a median of $105M in salaries, which represents 39% of their overall expenditure ($268M) and a 10.3% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 5.96% growth between 2022 and 2023, and a 0.95% growth between 2021 and 2022.

Instructional Salaries

$24.9M

Instructional Salaries

233

Number of Employees

In 2024, Emerson College paid a total of $24.9M to 233 employees working as instructors, which represents 23.8% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $965k (3.13%) for similar Masters Colleges and Universities.

Occupations by Share

In 2024, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at Emerson College were Management with 185 employees, Community, Social Service, Legal, Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports and Media with 157 employees, and Business and Financial Operations with 78 employees.

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