Emerson vs. SUNY Poly

Should I go to Emerson College or SUNY Polytechnic Institute? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Emerson or SUNY Poly 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

BU NYU Fordham Syracuse Northeastern Emmanuel College Bentley Skidmore College Pratt Institute Babson Chapman Brandeis University
Emerson College vs. SUNY Polytechnic Institute comparison
Emerson College SUNY Polytechnic Institute College 3 College 4
Emerson College SUNY Polytechnic Institute
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 Emerson SUNY Poly
Location Boston, MA Utica, NY
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 5,670 2,704
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #215 #307
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu sunyit.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Emerson SUNY Poly
Tuition (In State) $54,400 $7,070
Tuition (Out of State) $54,400 $18,720
Room & Board $20,310 $14,750
Avg Net Price $50,703 $14,646
Avg Grant Aid $26,447 $8,137
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 90%

Admission

 Emerson SUNY Poly
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,092 4,936
Admitted 5,267 3,872
Acceptance Rate 47.5% 78.4%
Enrolled % 18.9% 10%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.7
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 30/33 24/27
SAT Range 1250/1410 1150/1330
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 Aug 1, 2026

Academics

 Emerson SUNY Poly
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%)
  • Business (24%)
  • Engineering Technology (20%)
  • Health Professions (20%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (13%)
  • Psychology (10%)

Outcomes

 Emerson SUNY Poly
Graduation Rate 81% 47%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $53,200
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $16,585
Median Loan Payment $242 $171

Diversity

 Emerson SUNY Poly
% Men 4% 11%
% Women 23% 19%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 79%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 7% 1%
% Unknown Race 3% 0%

Students

 Emerson SUNY Poly
% In-State 15% 95%
% Out-of-State 68% 3%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Emerson College is larger than than SUNY Poly based on total student enrollment (5,670 students vs. 2,704 students)

Emerson vs. SUNY Poly Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or SUNY Poly?

  • Emerson College is 669.4% more expensive to attend than SUNY Poly for in-state tuition ($54,400.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 190.6% higher at Emerson than SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($54,400.00 vs. $18,720.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Emerson ($14,646 vs. $50,703)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY Polytechnic Institute are 37.7% lower than costs at Emerson College ($14,750 vs. $20,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY Polytechnic Institute than Emerson College (90% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emerson College students is 225% larger than aid received SUNY Polytechnic Institute ($26,447 vs. $8,137)

Emerson vs. SUNY Poly Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 70 points higher than at SUNY Poly (1141)
  • Incoming Emerson students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at SUNY Poly (26)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at SUNY Poly (3.7)
  • SUNY Poly has a higher acceptance rate (78.4%) than Emerson (47.5%)

Emerson vs. SUNY Poly Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Emerson or SUNY Poly? 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 SUNY Poly and Emerson.

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than SUNY Polytechnic Institute (81% vs. 47%)
  • Graduates from SUNY Polytechnic Institute earn on average $4,000 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($53,200 vs. $49,200)
  • SUNY Polytechnic Institute students graduate with a $6,915 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($16,585 vs. $23,500)
  • SUNY Poly graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($171 vs. $242)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former SUNY Poly students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 63%)

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