Emerson vs. MIT

Should I go to Emerson College or Massachusetts Institute of Technology? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Emerson or MIT 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. Massachusetts Institute of Technology comparison
Emerson College Massachusetts Institute of Technology College 3 College 4
Emerson College Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Overview

 Emerson MIT
Location Boston, MA Cambridge, MA
Setting Large City Midsize City
Enrollment 5,670 11,920
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #215 #7
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu mit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Emerson MIT
Tuition (In State) $54,400 $59,750
Tuition (Out of State) $54,400 $59,750
Room & Board $20,310 $19,390
Avg Net Price $50,703 $21,519
Avg Grant Aid $26,447 $58,331
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 58%

Admission

 Emerson MIT
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,092 26,904
Admitted 5,267 1,274
Acceptance Rate 47.5% 4.7%
Enrolled % 18.9% 85.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.96
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/33 34/36
SAT Range 1250/1410 1510/1580
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Feb 20, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 Emerson MIT
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 3:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Engineering (41%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Physical Sciences (10%)
  • Mathematics (8%)
  • Biology (8%)

Outcomes

 Emerson MIT
Graduation Rate 81% 93%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $142,100
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 92%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $17,316
Median Loan Payment $242 $179

Diversity

 Emerson MIT
% Men 4% 37%
% Women 23% 25%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 37%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 15%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 7% 10%
% Unknown Race 3% 2%

Students

 Emerson MIT
% In-State 15% 8%
% Out-of-State 68% 81%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is larger than than Emerson based on total student enrollment (11,920 students vs. 5,670 students)

Emerson vs. MIT Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or MIT?

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology is 9.8% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($59,750.00 vs. $54,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 9.8% higher at MIT than Emerson College ($59,750.00 vs. $54,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than Emerson ($21,519 vs. $50,703)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are 4.7% lower than costs at Emerson College ($19,390 vs. $20,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Massachusetts Institute of Technology (78% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Massachusetts Institute of Technology students is 120.6% larger than aid received Emerson College ($58,331 vs. $26,447)

Emerson vs. MIT Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1507) is 296 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
  • Incoming MIT students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Emerson (27)
  • Accepted freshman MIT students have a 0.23 point higher average high school GPA (3.96) than students at Emerson (3.73)
  • Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (47.5%) than MIT (4.7%)

Emerson vs. MIT Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at MIT is higher than Emerson College (93% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Massachusetts Institute of Technology earn on average $92,900 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($142,100 vs. $49,200)
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology students graduate with a $6,184 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($17,316 vs. $23,500)
  • MIT graduates are paying $63 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($179 vs. $242)
  • More MIT graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emerson students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 80%)

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