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Williams Tufts Swarthmore Middlebury Dartmouth Brown Vassar Harvard Hamilton College Wellesley Cornell Pomona| Amherst College | Emerson College | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
| Location | Amherst, MA | Boston, MA | ||
| Setting | Town Fringe | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 1,910 | 5,670 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #15 | #215 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | amherst.edu | emerson.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $66,650 | $54,400 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $66,650 | $54,400 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,560 | $20,310 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $17,965 | $50,703 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $65,623 | $26,447 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 58% | 78% |
Admission |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 12,727 | 11,092 | ||
| Admitted | 1,250 | 5,267 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 9.8% | 47.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 39% | 18.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.91 | 3.73 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 31/35 | 30/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1360/1550 | 1250/1410 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 2, 2026 | Feb 20, 2026 |
Academics |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 7:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 81% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $82,000 | $49,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 83% | 80% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $12,975 | $23,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $134 | $242 |
Diversity |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 0% | 4% | ||
| % Women | 0% | 23% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 42% | 67% | ||
| % Black | 12% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 13% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 10% | 7% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 4% | 3% |
Students |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 77% | 68% | ||
Campus |
Amherst | Emerson | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Emerson College is larger than than Amherst based on total student enrollment (5,670 students vs. 1,910 students)
Amherst vs. Emerson Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Emerson?
- Amherst College is 22.5% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($66,650.00 vs. $54,400.00)
- Out of state tuition is 22.5% higher at Amherst than Emerson College ($66,650.00 vs. $54,400.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Emerson ($17,965 vs. $50,703)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 15.7% lower than costs at Emerson College ($17,560 vs. $20,310)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Amherst College (78% vs. 58%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 148.1% larger than aid received Emerson College ($65,623 vs. $26,447)
Amherst vs. Emerson Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Amherst or Emerson? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Emerson or Amherst .
- The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 240 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
- Incoming Amherst students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Emerson (27)
- Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Emerson (3.73)
- Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (47.5%) than Amherst (9.8%)
Amherst vs. Emerson Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Amherst or Emerson? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Emerson and Amherst.
- The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Emerson College (96% vs. 81%)
- Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $32,800 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $49,200)
- Amherst College students graduate with a $10,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($12,975 vs. $23,500)
- Amherst graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($134 vs. $242)
- More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emerson students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/