Emerson vs. City College of New York

Should I go to Emerson College or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Emerson or City College of New York is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.
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Emerson College vs. CUNY City College comparison
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Emerson College CUNY City College
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Overview

 Emerson City College of New York
Location Boston, MA New York, NY
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 5,670 15,012
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #215 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Emerson City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $54,400 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $54,400 $14,880
Room & Board $20,310 $18,104
Avg Net Price $50,703 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $26,447 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 86%

Admission

 Emerson City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,092 31,988
Admitted 5,267 18,576
Acceptance Rate 47.5% 58.1%
Enrolled % 18.9% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.2
Typical High School Grades A- B
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33
SAT Range 1250/1410 1220/1460
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 Feb 20, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

 Emerson City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

 Emerson City College of New York
Graduation Rate 81% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $242 $117

Diversity

 Emerson City College of New York
% Men 4% 7%
% Women 23% 11%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 15%
% Black 3% 16%
% Hispanic 11% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 7% 6%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Emerson City College of New York
% In-State 15% 87%
% Out-of-State 68% 0%

Campus

 Emerson City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • CUNY City College is larger than than Emerson based on total student enrollment (15,012 students vs. 5,670 students)

Emerson vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or City College of New York?

  • Emerson College is 685% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($54,400.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 265.6% higher at Emerson than CUNY City College ($54,400.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than Emerson ($4,599 vs. $50,703)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at CUNY City College are 12.2% lower than costs at Emerson College ($18,104 vs. $20,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than Emerson College (86% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emerson College students is 186.3% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($26,447 vs. $9,236)

Emerson vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Emerson or City College of New York? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between City College of New York or Emerson .

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 86 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.53 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • City College of New York has a higher acceptance rate (58.1%) than Emerson (47.5%)

Emerson vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emerson or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and Emerson.

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than CUNY City College (81% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from CUNY City College earn on average $600 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($49,800 vs. $49,200)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $12,100 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($11,400 vs. $23,500)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $125 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($117 vs. $242)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 52%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/