Emerson Boston vs Otis College

Emerson College and Otis College of Art and Design, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences tailored to students with diverse aspirations. Emerson College, rooted in the liberal arts and communication, boasts a vibrant campus in the heart of Boston, while Otis College of Art and Design, nestled in Los Angeles, immerses students in the world of visual arts and design. With acceptance rates of 49% and 75%, respectively, both colleges maintain selective admissions processes. Emerson College's student body comprises 3,986 undergraduates, predominantly hailing from the United States, while Otis College of Art and Design's 1,092 undergraduates represent a more international cohort. Dive into the comprehensive comparison table below to explore further differences in popular majors, graduation rates, and other key factors that will help you make an informed decision about your academic journey.
Emerson College logo

Emerson College

Otis College of Art and Design logo

Otis College of Art and Design

Overview

Location Boston, Massachusetts Los Angeles, California
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 78.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 45.3% 79.8%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1200 - 1400 1130 - 1360
ACT range 28 - 32 20 - 29
Students submitting SAT score 28.0% 13.0%
Students submitting ACT score 12.0% 3.0%
Total number of applicants 11,568 2,284
Total number of admissions given out 5,238 1,823
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,058 263
Yield rate 20.2% 14.4%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Not required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $73,450 $70,802
Average net price $48,842 $45,402
Tuition $51,264 $47,700
Room & board $19,144 $15,744
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

80.0%
Average amount $25,433
100.0%
Average amount $21,593
Students receiving federal student loan 50.0%
Average amount $5,314
48.0%
Average amount $5,811
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $28,643
5.0%
Average amount $26,799

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 4,117
Men 35.6% Women 64.4%
1,197
Men 30.5% Women 69.5%
Graduate students 1,783
Men 12.4% Women 87.6%
55
Men 18.2% Women 81.8%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Moderate
Out-of-state students N/A N/A
International students 12.4% 30.2%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 2,583 403
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California New York New Jersey Connecticut Florida N/A

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Health Professions
  • Communication and Journalism
  • English Language and Literature
  • Education
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Architecture
  • English Language and Literature
Students to faculty ratio 13:1 9:1
Institutional accreditation New England Commission on Higher Education Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 78.8% 68.6%
Dropout rate 20.5% 31.4%
Transferred out N/A N/A
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $56,751
  • Year 2: $56,776
  • Year 3: $62,323
Marketing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,791
  • Year 2: $56,641
  • Year 3: $59,256
Marketing (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $44,510
  • Year 2: $44,327
  • Year 3: $53,692
Communication and Media Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $39,045
  • Year 2: $48,432
  • Year 3: $50,740
Publishing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $41,317
  • Year 2: $43,426
  • Year 3: $48,728
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $42,632
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $46,462
Journalism (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,675
  • Year 2: $38,953
  • Year 3: $45,255
Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,872
  • Year 2: $40,140
  • Year 3: $43,252
Communication and Media Studies (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,439
  • Year 2: $28,212
  • Year 3: $42,141
Teacher Education and Professional Development, Specific Subject Areas (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $35,600
  • Year 3: $41,506
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $38,497
  • Year 2: $42,123
  • Year 3: $48,158
Visual and Performing Arts, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $36,531
  • Year 2: $38,289
  • Year 3: $39,370
Fine and Studio Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $17,166
  • Year 2: $18,315
  • Year 3: N/A
Fine and Studio Arts (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $22,667
  • Year 3: N/A

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