Amherst vs. Emerson

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

Amherst Emerson
Location Amherst, MA Boston, MA
Setting Town Fringe Large City
Enrollment 1,898 5,891
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #16 #235
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website amherst.edu emerson.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Amherst Emerson
Tuition (In State) $63,500 $52,288
Tuition (Out of State) $63,500 $52,288
Room & Board $16,750 $19,528
Avg Net Price $21,367 $51,432
Avg Grant Aid $58,693 $24,360
% Receiving Grant Aid 58% 78%

Admission

Amherst Emerson
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 14,864 12,109
Admitted 1,079 5,176
Acceptance Rate 7.3% 42.7%
Enrolled % 43.3% 19.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.91 3.73
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Extreme Low
ACT Range 32/35 30/32
SAT Range 1420/1550 1250/1430
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 2, 2024 Feb 20, 2024

Academics

Amherst Emerson
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (26%)
  • English and Literature (12%)
  • Foreign Languages (7%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)

Outcomes

Amherst Emerson
Graduation Rate 96% 81%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $82,000 $49,200
Making Student Loan Payments 83% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $12,975 $23,500
Median Loan Payment $134 $242

Diversity

Amherst Emerson
% Men 48% 28%
% Women 52% 72%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 42% 67%
% Black 12% 3%
% Hispanic 13% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 10% 7%
% Unknown Race 4% 3%

Students

Amherst Emerson
% In-State 13% 14%
% Out-of-State 74% 69%

Campus

Amherst 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 Amherst based on total student enrollment (5,891 students vs. 1,898 students)

Amherst vs. Emerson Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Amherst or Emerson?

  • Amherst College is 21.4% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($63,500.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21.4% higher at Amherst than Emerson College ($63,500.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Amherst College than Emerson ($21,367 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Amherst College are 16.6% lower than costs at Emerson College ($16,750 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than Amherst College (78% vs. 58%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Amherst College students is 140.9% larger than aid received Emerson College ($58,693 vs. $24,360)

Amherst vs. Emerson Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Amherst College (1451) is 240 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
  • Incoming Amherst students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Emerson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Amherst students have a 0.18 point higher average high school GPA (3.91) than students at Emerson (3.73)
  • Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (42.7%) than Amherst (7.3%)

Amherst vs. Emerson Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Amherst 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 Amherst.

  • The graduation rate at Amherst is higher than Emerson College (96% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from Amherst College earn on average $32,800 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($82,000 vs. $49,200)
  • Amherst College students graduate with a $10,525 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($12,975 vs. $23,500)
  • Amherst graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($134 vs. $242)
  • More Amherst graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emerson students, three years after graduation. (83% vs. 80%)

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