PLNU vs. Emerson

Should I go to Point Loma Nazarene University or Emerson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if PLNU or Emerson 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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Point Loma Nazarene University vs. Emerson College comparison
Point Loma Nazarene University Emerson College College 3 College 4
Point Loma Nazarene University Emerson College
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Overview

 PLNU Emerson
Location San Diego, CA Boston, MA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 4,494 5,670
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #252 #215
Religious Affiliation Church of the Nazarene - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website pointloma.edu emerson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 PLNU Emerson
Tuition (In State) $42,600 $54,400
Tuition (Out of State) $42,600 $54,400
Room & Board $12,850 $20,310
Avg Net Price $36,370 $50,703
Avg Grant Aid $20,277 $26,447
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 78%

Admission

 PLNU Emerson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 3,065 11,092
Admitted 2,506 5,267
Acceptance Rate 81.8% 47.5%
Enrolled % 26.2% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.65 3.73
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 22/30 30/33
SAT Range 1140/1410 1250/1410
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 15, 2025 Feb 20, 2025

Academics

 PLNU Emerson
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)

Outcomes

 PLNU Emerson
Graduation Rate 72% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $53,500 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 79% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

 PLNU Emerson
% Men 9% 4%
% Women 21% 23%
Racial Diversity High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 59% 67%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 23% 11%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 1% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

 PLNU Emerson
% In-State 70% 15%
% Out-of-State 29% 68%

Campus

 PLNU Emerson
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 PLNU based on total student enrollment (5,670 students vs. 4,494 students)

PLNU vs. Emerson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, PLNU or Emerson?

  • Emerson College is 27.7% more expensive to attend than PLNU for in-state tuition ($54,400.00 vs. $42,600.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 27.7% higher at Emerson than Point Loma Nazarene University ($54,400.00 vs. $42,600.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Point Loma Nazarene University than Emerson ($36,370 vs. $50,703)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Point Loma Nazarene University are 58.1% lower than costs at Emerson College ($12,850 vs. $20,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Point Loma Nazarene University than Emerson College (93% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Emerson College students is 30.4% larger than aid received Point Loma Nazarene University ($26,447 vs. $20,277)

PLNU vs. Emerson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 63 points higher than at PLNU (1148)
  • Incoming Emerson students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at PLNU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at PLNU (3.65)
  • PLNU has a higher acceptance rate (81.8%) than Emerson (47.5%)

PLNU vs. Emerson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than Point Loma Nazarene University (81% vs. 72%)
  • Graduates from Point Loma Nazarene University earn on average $4,300 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($53,500 vs. $49,200)
  • Emerson College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than PLNU graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Emerson graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than PLNU graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former PLNU students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 79%)

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