Emerson vs. Harvard

Should I go to Emerson College or Harvard University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Emerson or Harvard 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. Harvard University comparison
Emerson College Harvard University College 3 College 4
Emerson College Harvard University
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Overview

Emerson Harvard
Location Boston, MA Cambridge, MA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,891 30,631
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #235 #4
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu harvard.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Emerson Harvard
Tuition (In State) $52,288 $52,659
Tuition (Out of State) $52,288 $52,659
Room & Board $19,528 $19,502
Avg Net Price $51,432 $19,491
Avg Grant Aid $24,360 $61,801
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 56%

Admission

Emerson Harvard
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,109 61,221
Admitted 5,176 1,984
Acceptance Rate 42.7% 3.2%
Enrolled % 19.4% 83%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 4.0
Typical High School Grades A- A/A+
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/32 34/36
SAT Range 1250/1430 1490/1580
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, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

Emerson Harvard
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 7:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)

Outcomes

Emerson Harvard
Graduation Rate 81% 97%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $136,700
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $6,500
Median Loan Payment $242 $67

Diversity

Emerson Harvard
% Men 28% 46%
% Women 72% 54%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 44%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Emerson Harvard
% In-State 14% 15%
% Out-of-State 69% 69%

Campus

Emerson Harvard
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Emerson based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 5,891 students)

Emerson vs. Harvard Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or Harvard?

  • Harvard University is 0.7% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($52,659.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 0.7% higher at Harvard than Emerson College ($52,659.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Emerson ($19,491 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Harvard University are 0.1% lower than costs at Emerson College ($19,502 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Harvard University (78% vs. 56%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 153.7% larger than aid received Emerson College ($61,801 vs. $24,360)

Emerson vs. Harvard Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 286 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Emerson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.27 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Emerson (3.73)
  • Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (42.7%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Emerson vs. Harvard Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emerson or Harvard? 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 Harvard and Emerson.

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Emerson College (97% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $87,500 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $49,200)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $17,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($6,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $175 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($67 vs. $242)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 70%)

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