USF vs. Emerson

Should I go to University of San Francisco or Emerson College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if USF 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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University of San Francisco vs. Emerson College comparison
University of San Francisco Emerson College College 3 College 4
University of San Francisco Emerson College
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Overview

USF Emerson
Location San Francisco, CA Boston, MA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 9,212 5,670
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #116 #215
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website usfca.edu emerson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

USF Emerson
Tuition (In State) $57,670 $54,400
Tuition (Out of State) $57,670 $54,400
Room & Board $17,300 $20,310
Avg Net Price $44,104 $50,703
Avg Grant Aid $32,492 $26,447
% Receiving Grant Aid 97% 78%

Admission

USF Emerson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 25,709 11,092
Admitted 13,052 5,267
Acceptance Rate 50.8% 47.5%
Enrolled % 8.6% 18.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.57 3.73
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low Low
ACT Range 26/31 30/33
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Jan 15, 2026 Feb 20, 2026

Academics

USF Emerson
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (34%)
  • Social Sciences (15%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)

Outcomes

USF Emerson
Graduation Rate 70% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $70,400 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $25,000 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $258 $242

Diversity

USF Emerson
% Men 13% 4%
% Women 24% 23%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 27% 67%
% Black 3% 3%
% Hispanic 19% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 1% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 4%
% International 19% 7%
% Unknown Race 2% 3%

Students

USF Emerson
% In-State 58% 15%
% Out-of-State 32% 68%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of San Francisco is larger than than Emerson based on total student enrollment (9,212 students vs. 5,670 students)

USF vs. Emerson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, USF or Emerson?

  • University of San Francisco is 6% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($57,670.00 vs. $54,400.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6% higher at USF than Emerson College ($57,670.00 vs. $54,400.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of San Francisco than Emerson ($44,104 vs. $50,703)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of San Francisco are 17.4% lower than costs at Emerson College ($17,300 vs. $20,310)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of San Francisco than Emerson College (97% vs. 78%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of San Francisco students is 22.9% larger than aid received Emerson College ($32,492 vs. $26,447)

USF vs. Emerson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Emerson College (1211) is 39 points higher than at USF (1172)
  • Incoming Emerson students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at USF (26)
  • Accepted freshman Emerson students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.73) than students at USF (3.57)
  • USF has a higher acceptance rate (50.8%) than Emerson (47.5%)

USF vs. Emerson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, USF 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 USF.

  • The graduation rate at Emerson is higher than University of San Francisco (81% vs. 70%)
  • Graduates from University of San Francisco earn on average $21,200 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($70,400 vs. $49,200)
  • Emerson College students graduate with a $1,500 lower median federal student loan debt than USF graduates. ($23,500 vs. $25,000)
  • Emerson graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than USF graduates. ($242 vs. $258)
  • More Emerson graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 73%)

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