Emerson vs. Purchase College

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

 Emerson Purchase College
Location Boston, MA Purchase, NY
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,670 3,229
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #215 #297
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu purchase.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Emerson Purchase College
Tuition (In State) $54,400 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $54,400 $16,980
Room & Board $20,310 $15,400
Avg Net Price $50,703 $18,651
Avg Grant Aid $26,447 $9,627
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 72%

Admission

 Emerson Purchase College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,092 7,221
Admitted 5,267 5,259
Acceptance Rate 47.5% 72.8%
Enrolled % 18.9% 14.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.37
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 30/33 27/32
SAT Range 1250/1410 1178/1363
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 Jul 1, 2025

Academics

 Emerson Purchase College
Student to Faculty Ratio 14:1 11:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)

Outcomes

 Emerson Purchase College
Graduation Rate 81% 56%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $40,200
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 65%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $22,500
Median Loan Payment $242 $232

Diversity

 Emerson Purchase College
% Men 4% 1%
% Women 23% 1%
Racial Diversity Medium High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 55%
% Black 3% 10%
% Hispanic 11% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 7% 2%
% Unknown Race 3% 7%

Students

 Emerson Purchase College
% In-State 15% 78%
% Out-of-State 68% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Emerson College is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (5,670 students vs. 3,229 students)

Emerson vs. Purchase College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or Purchase College?

  • Emerson College is 669.4% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($54,400.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 220.4% higher at Emerson than SUNY at Purchase College ($54,400.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Emerson ($18,651 vs. $50,703)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 31.9% lower than costs at Emerson College ($15,400 vs. $20,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than SUNY at Purchase College (78% vs. 72%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emerson College students is 174.7% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($26,447 vs. $9,627)

Emerson vs. Purchase College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 129 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Emerson students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Emerson (47.5%)

Emerson vs. Purchase College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emerson or Purchase College? 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 Purchase College and Emerson.

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (81% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Emerson College earn on average $9,000 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($49,200 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($22,500 vs. $23,500)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($232 vs. $242)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 65%)

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