Emerson vs. Penn

Should I go to Emerson College or University of Pennsylvania? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Emerson or Penn 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.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Princeton Duke Cornell Harvard Johns Hopkins Georgetown Stanford Brown Northwestern Dartmouth Yale Carnegie Mellon
Emerson College vs. University of Pennsylvania comparison
Emerson College University of Pennsylvania College 3 College 4
Emerson College University of Pennsylvania
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Emerson Penn
Location Boston, MA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 5,891 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #235 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website emerson.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Emerson Penn
Tuition (In State) $52,288 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $52,288 $56,212
Room & Board $19,528 $17,888
Avg Net Price $51,432 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $24,360 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 78% 46%

Admission

Emerson Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 12,109 54,588
Admitted 5,176 3,549
Acceptance Rate 42.7% 6.5%
Enrolled % 19.4% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.73 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Extreme
ACT Range 30/32 34/35
SAT Range 1250/1430 1500/1570
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, 2024 Jan 5, 2024

Academics

Emerson Penn
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 8:1
Popular Majors
  • Communication (33%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (29%)
  • English and Literature (19%)
  • Business (14%)
  • Health Professions (2%)
  • Business (26%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Health Professions (7%)

Outcomes

Emerson Penn
Graduation Rate 81% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $49,200 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 80% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,500 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $242 $213

Diversity

Emerson Penn
% Men 28% 44%
% Women 72% 56%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 67% 45%
% Black 3% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 7% 11%
% Unknown Race 3% 3%

Students

Emerson Penn
% In-State 14% 16%
% Out-of-State 69% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Emerson based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 5,891 students)

Emerson vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Emerson or Penn?

  • University of Pennsylvania is 7.5% more expensive to attend than Emerson for in-state tuition ($56,212.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.5% higher at Penn than Emerson College ($56,212.00 vs. $52,288.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Emerson ($26,123 vs. $51,432)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pennsylvania are 9.2% lower than costs at Emerson College ($17,888 vs. $19,528)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Emerson College than University of Pennsylvania (78% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 134.7% larger than aid received Emerson College ($57,175 vs. $24,360)

Emerson vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 246 points higher than at Emerson (1211)
  • Incoming Penn students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Emerson (27)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Emerson (3.73)
  • Emerson has a higher acceptance rate (42.7%) than Penn (6.5%)

Emerson vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Emerson College (96% vs. 81%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $74,400 more per year than Emerson graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $49,200)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $2,867 lower median federal student loan debt than Emerson graduates. ($20,633 vs. $23,500)
  • Penn graduates are paying $29 less per month on federal student loans than Emerson graduates. ($213 vs. $242)
  • More Penn graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Emerson students, three years after graduation. (84% vs. 80%)

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