Emerson vs. Wellesley

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

Emerson Wellesley
Location Boston, MA Wellesley, MA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 5,891 2,447
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #235 #17
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu wellesley.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Emerson Wellesley
Tuition (In State) $52,288 $61,584
Tuition (Out of State) $52,288 $61,584
Room & Board $19,528 $19,080
Avg Net Price $51,432 $21,362
Avg Grant Aid $24,360 $61,328
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 59%

Admission

Emerson Wellesley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,109 8,491
Admitted 5,176 1,152
Acceptance Rate 42.7% 13.6%
Enrolled % 19.4% 50.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.86
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 30/32 33/35
SAT Range 1250/1430 1430/1550
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 8, 2025

Academics

Emerson Wellesley
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 (28%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Ethnic Studies (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (9%)
  • Psychology (8%)

Outcomes

Emerson Wellesley
Graduation Rate 81% 92%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $68,100
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $8,900
Median Loan Payment $242 $92

Diversity

Emerson Wellesley
% Men 28% 1%
% Women 72% 99%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 40%
% Black 3% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 6%
% International 7% 12%
% Unknown Race 3% 4%

Students

Emerson Wellesley
% In-State 14% 11%
% Out-of-State 69% 73%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Emerson College is larger than than Wellesley based on total student enrollment (5,891 students vs. 2,447 students)

Emerson vs. Wellesley Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or Wellesley?

  • Wellesley College is 17.8% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($61,584.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 17.8% higher at Wellesley than Emerson College ($61,584.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Wellesley College than Emerson ($21,362 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Wellesley College are 2.3% lower than costs at Emerson College ($19,080 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Wellesley College (78% vs. 59%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Wellesley College students is 151.8% larger than aid received Emerson College ($61,328 vs. $24,360)

Emerson vs. Wellesley Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Wellesley College (1369) is 158 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
  • Incoming Wellesley students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Emerson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Wellesley students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.86) than students at Emerson (3.73)
  • Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (42.7%) than Wellesley (13.6%)

Emerson vs. Wellesley Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Wellesley is higher than Emerson College (92% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Wellesley College earn on average $18,900 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($68,100 vs. $49,200)
  • Wellesley College students graduate with a $14,600 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($8,900 vs. $23,500)
  • Wellesley graduates are paying $150 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($92 vs. $242)
  • More Wellesley graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emerson students, three years after graduation. (86% vs. 80%)

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