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Stanford Yale Johns Hopkins Princeton MIT Duke Columbia Brown Penn UChicago Williams NYU| Emerson College | Harvard University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Emerson | Harvard | ||
| Location | Boston, MA | Cambridge, MA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 5,670 | 30,386 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #215 | #4 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | emerson.edu | harvard.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Emerson | Harvard | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $54,400 | $54,269 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $54,400 | $54,269 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,310 | $20,374 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $50,703 | $17,900 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $26,447 | $64,942 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 78% | 57% |
Admission |
Emerson | Harvard | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 11,092 | 56,937 | ||
| Admitted | 5,267 | 1,965 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 47.5% | 3.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 18.9% | 83.7% | ||
| 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 | 30/33 | 34/36 | ||
| SAT Range | 1250/1410 | 1500/1580 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Emerson | Harvard | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 7:1 | ||
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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 | 4% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 23% | 38% | ||
| 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 | 15% | 15% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 68% | 70% | ||
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 (30,386 students vs. 5,670 students)
Emerson vs. Harvard Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Emerson or Harvard?
- Emerson College is 0.2% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($54,400.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- Out of state tuition is 0.2% higher at Emerson than Harvard University ($54,400.00 vs. $54,269.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Emerson ($17,900 vs. $50,703)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Emerson College are 0.3% lower than costs at Harvard University ($20,310 vs. $20,374)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Harvard University (78% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 145.6% larger than aid received Emerson College ($64,942 vs. $26,447)
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 (47.5%) than Harvard (3.5%)
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/