Emerson College

Boston, MA · Private

Official website

Navora's full analysis of Emerson College — where an applicant's profile stands against the published cohort, requirements tracking, essays and deadlines — is free with an account.

See the full analysis — free

Admission rate

Emerson College admitted 51.3% of applicants university-wide (5,325 of 10,378).

CohortAdmit rateAdmittedApplicants
University-wide51.3%5,32510,378
In-state40.0%4001,000
Out-of-state40.0%2,2005,500
International applicants40.0%4001,000
Men48.7%1,4813,040
Women52.4%3,8337,317

Also offers Early Action (closes Nov 1) — the Common Data Set doesn't publish EA admit counts.

Of 5,325 admitted students, 828 enrolled (15.5% yield).

Emerson College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C1–C2 · 2023 — Published cohort admit rates — context, not an applicant-specific probability.

Test scores and GPA of admitted students

SAT (mid-50%)
1270–1420
ACT (mid-50%)
29–32

Testing policy: Test-optional (considered if submitted)

Emerson College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections C9–C12 · 2023 — Published admit stats reflect the entire incoming class unless explicitly labeled international-only.

Cost and financial aid

Published cost of attendance: $80,399/yr.

Out-of-state tuition$57,056
Fees, housing, food, books & other$22,170
Sticker cost of attendance$80,399/yr

Average net price by family income (US, federal aid data)

Under $30k$32,650
$30k–48k$32,621
$48k–75k$41,927
$75k–110k$46,252
Over $110k$57,288

U.S. Dept. of Education · College Scorecard — average net price by family income (Title IV, from IPEDS) · 2023

US applicants

Need- and merit-based aid available.

  • Emerson Presidential Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Presidential)
  • Trustees Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Trustee)
  • Presidential Scholarship — Up to $20,000 per year (Presidential)
  • Trustee Scholarship — Up to $20,000 per year (Trustee)
  • Dean's Scholarship — Up to $15,000 per year (Automatic)
  • Artistic Achievement Scholarship — Up to $5,000 per year (Merit)
  • Emerson Grant — Varies (Need Based)

International applicants

No need-based aid reported for internationals.

  • Emerson Presidential Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Presidential)
  • Trustees Scholarship — Up to $25,000 per year (Trustee)
  • Presidential Scholarship — Up to $20,000 per year (Presidential)
  • Trustee Scholarship — Up to $20,000 per year (Trustee)
  • Dean's Scholarship — Up to $15,000 per year (Automatic)
  • Artistic Achievement Scholarship — Up to $5,000 per year (Merit)

Emerson College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections G–H · 2023

Application requirements

US applicants

  • High School Transcript and School Report
  • Secondary School Counselor Evaluation
  • Teacher Evaluation
  • Early Decision Agreement
  • Honors Program Essay (optional)
  • Creative Sample (optional)
  • First Marking Period Grades and Midyear Report (recommended)
  • Application fee

International applicants

  • High School Transcript and School Report
  • Secondary School Counselor Evaluation
  • Teacher Evaluation
  • Early Decision Agreement
  • Honors Program Essay (optional)
  • Creative Sample (optional)
  • First Marking Period Grades and Midyear Report (recommended)
  • Application fee
  • English proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)
  • GPA credential conversion
  • Predicted Class XII marksheet
  • Financial documentation (I-20)

Emerson College · Application requirements (official admissions pages) · 2025

Essay prompts

The Common App personal essay is required (one of 7 shared prompts), plus 4 college-specific supplements:

  1. As you know, the academic programs at Emerson College are focused on communication and the arts. Please tell us what influenced you to select your major. If you're undecided about your major, what attracted you to Emerson's programs? Please be brief (100-200 words).200 words · Required
  2. Please respond, briefly in 100-200 words, to one of the following:<br>"Much of the work that students do at Emerson College is a form of storytelling. If you were to write the story of your life until now, what would you title it and why?"<br>OR<br>“At its best, how does community benefit the individual, the whole, or both?”200 words · Required
  3. Honors Program (Optional, First-year Applicants for September Admission Only, Global programs are ineligible)<br><br>In order to be considered for the Honors Program, you MUST submit an additional essay (see prompt below) by November 17 if you are applying for Early Action or Early Decision I, January 16 for Early Decision II, or by February 2 if you are applying for Regular Decision.&nbsp;<br><br>Please respond to the following in 400-600 words: We often use metaphors to help us understand our world and persuade others. Write about a metaphor that you think is powerful, and explore its potential to be helpful and/or harmful in your thinking.600 words · Optional
  4. Creative Circle Program (Optional, First-year Applicants for September Admission Only, Global programs are ineligible)<br><br>In order to be considered for the Creative Circle Program, you MUST submit an additional essay (see prompt below) by November 17 if you are applying for Early Action or Early Decision I, January 16 for Early Decision II, or by February 2 if you are applying for Regular Decision.&nbsp;<br><br>What Does Community Mean to You?<br>The Creative Scholars Program is rooted in the belief that strong communities empower individuals and inspire change. In 250 words or fewer, describe what community means to you. Share a story or personal reflection that shows how your understanding of community has shaped who you are.&nbsp;250 words · Optional

Draft these in the free Essay Coach

Prompts from the Common App member feed · verified Jul 3, 2026

Graduate outcomes

Median earnings
$62,832
Median earnings · 10 years after entry
Graduation rate
77.1%
Within 150% of normal time
First-year retention
87%
Return for year two · CDS Section B
Median debt
$23,000
At graduation

Emerson College · U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (2023 release) · 2023 — Earnings and debt figures are federal data for aid-receiving graduates — cohort outcomes, not a guarantee for any individual student.

Published rankings

  • Forbes: #410
  • Niche: #720

Academics and campus

Largest degree fields: Visual & performing arts (55%), English (12%), Business & marketing (12%).

Student–faculty ratio: 13:1.

Emerson College U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard · Sections E, F, I · 2023 — Published institutional figures for the reporting year — descriptive of the current student body, not a prediction about your experience.

Similar colleges