Emerson College Acceptance Rate
Boston, Massachusetts · Private not-for-profit · 4-year or above
- Applicants
- 11,092
- Admitted
- 5,267
- Yield
- 18.9%
- Test policy
- Test-optional
Latest official IPEDS 2023–24 · Updated July 2026
Acceptance rate & applications over time
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.
Over the 10 years of federal data, Emerson College's acceptance rate has fallen from 49.2% in 2014–15 to 47.5% in 2023–24. Applications grew from 8,709 to 11,092 (+27%) over that period.
Its 47.5% rate makes Emerson College more selective than about 86% of the 1,419 schools tracked here. Among 61 tracked Massachusetts schools, it is more selective than about 70%.
In 2023–24, women were admitted at a higher rate (49.3% for women vs 42.9% for men, a 6.4-point gap). Emerson College has been test-optional since 2017–18. Of admitted students, 18.9% enrolled (the yield rate) in 2023–24.
Full year-by-year table
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | 8,709 | 4,283 | 49.2% | 857 |
| 2015–16 | 8,618 | 4,225 | 49% | 915 |
| 2016–17 | 9,149 | 4,397 | 48.1% | 881 |
| 2017–18 | 10,360 | 4,772 | 46.1% | 932 |
| 2018–19 | 12,941 | 4,612 | 35.6% | 923 |
| 2019–20 | 15,353 | 5,120 | 33.3% | 942 |
| 2020–21 | 13,326 | 5,470 | 41% | 939 |
| 2021–22 | 11,568 | 5,238 | 45.3% | 1,058 |
| 2022–23 | 12,109 | 5,176 | 42.7% | 1,002 |
| 2023–24 | 11,092 | 5,267 | 47.5% | 997 |
Acceptance rate by gender
| Group | Applicants | Admitted | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women | 8,007 | 3,944 | 49.3% |
| Men | 3,084 | 1,323 | 42.9% |
SAT / ACT ranges & policy
Test-optional (considered if submitted).
| Test | 25th–75th percentile | % submitting |
|---|---|---|
| SAT EBRW | 650–720 | 20% |
| SAT Math | 600–690 | |
| ACT Composite | 30–33 | 7% |
How Emerson College compares
Where this school sits among peers of similar selectivity — each dot is a school's current acceptance rate on the same scale.
Frequently asked
What is Emerson College's acceptance rate?
Emerson College's acceptance rate is 47.5% for 2023–24, the most recent year of federal IPEDS data (5,267 admitted of 11,092 applicants).
Is Emerson College test optional?
Emerson College is test-optional: SAT/ACT scores are considered if submitted but not required.
How many people apply to Emerson College?
Emerson College received 11,092 applications in 2023–24 and admitted 5,267.
What SAT score do you need for Emerson College?
Admitted students at Emerson College typically scored 650–720 on SAT Reading/Writing and 600–690 on SAT Math (middle-50% ranges).
Is Emerson College getting harder to get into?
Emerson College has become harder to get into: its acceptance rate went from 49.2% in 2014–15 to 47.5% in 2023–24.
How this is calculated
Acceptance rate = admitted ÷ applicants, first-time degree-seeking undergraduates, from the U.S. Department of Education's IPEDS Admissions (ADM) survey; institution details from the IPEDS Institutional Characteristics (HD) survey. Data span: 2014–15 to 2023–24. Official site: www.emerson.edu/.