Emerson College
Boston, MA
51.3%
Acceptance Rate
$57,056
Avg Cost (In-State)
$57,056
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
78.2%
Graduation Rate
3,870
Total Enrollment
We're showing you this because it offers your suggested major.
← Back to performing arts collegesBy the numbers
Emerson College, at a glance
Graduation rate is the standard federal 6-year completion rate (students often take longer than four years). Earnings & selectivity rankings are computed across every US college in our catalog. Figures from College Scorecard / IPEDS; sticker cost is before financial aid.
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
1
Application Fee
$65
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common App personal essay required; additional short answer questions may be required for specific programs
Note: Portfolio or audition required for some programs (Performing Arts, Film, etc.); Writing sample required for Writing, Literature and Publishing program
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$42,799
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$62,832
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
78%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Film/Video and Photographic Arts. | $27,032 | $49,951 | 460 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. | $19,560 | $44,760 | 136 |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies. | $33,441 | $51,742 | 122 |
| Journalism. | $39,703 | $63,337 | 101 |
| Marketing. | $41,651 | $76,623 | 83 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $44,108 | $59,202 | 34 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | $28,606 | $59,301 | 30 |
| Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other. | $39,183 | $49,381 | 21 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of Emerson College yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Emerson College
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Emerson College
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Emerson College Film Talent Scholarship
$5,000-$20,000/yr
universityAdmitted Emerson (Boston) Visual + Media Arts undergraduates; portfolio supplement.
Deadline: By Emerson admission (Jan 5)
Learn more ↗Wellesley College Need-Met Aid
100% need met (loans capped per year)
universityAll admitted Wellesley students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA + IDOC
Learn more ↗Boston Foundation Scholarships
$1,000-$5,000
localEastern Massachusetts students with academic merit + financial need.
Deadline: Varies
Learn more ↗Salem State Scholarship
$1,500-$5,000/year
universitySSU incoming freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Mount Holyoke Need-Met Aid
100% need met for international + most domestic students
universityAdmitted Mount Holyoke students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗UMass Lowell Chancellor's Scholarship
Up to full tuition + fees
universityTop UML freshmen with 3.5+ GPA + 1300+ SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Western New England University Presidential Scholarship
$20,000-$25,000/year
universityTop WNE freshmen with 3.6+ GPA + 1250+ SAT.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗MASSGrant
Up to $2,500/year
stateMA residents at MA colleges with financial need (lower-need-tier than MASSGrant Plus).
Deadline: FAFSA by May 1
Learn more ↗Harvard Financial Aid Initiative
100% need met; no loans; full ride for families under $85k
universityAll admitted Harvard students with demonstrated need; families under $85k pay nothing.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA + IDOC
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $32,650 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $32,621 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $41,927 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $46,252 |
| $110,001+ | $57,288 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Emerson College →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 51.3% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
51.31%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
15.5%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
13.2%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
17.7%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
87.4%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
77.1%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From MA community colleges
articulation onlyEmerson accepts transfer applicants with a 3.0+ GPA and a portfolio for performing arts majors. The college participates in the Massachusetts MassTransfer compact for state CC graduates. Bunker Hill Community College and Roxbury Community College are common feeders. Transfer appl…
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for Emerson College — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.