Quad

Head-to-head

Southeastern
Emerson

Key differences

The biggest gaps between these schools, largest first.

  1. 1

    Southeastern's yield is 33 pts higher than Emerson's

    Yield rate
  2. 2

    Emerson graduates 33 pts more of its students than Southeastern (79% vs. 47%)

    Graduation rate
  3. 3

    Southeastern costs about $23.9K less per year on average than Emerson ($35,884 vs. $59,789, all students)

    Average cost, all students
  4. 4

    Southeastern has 21 pts more first-gen students than Emerson (35% vs. 13%)

    First-generation students
  5. 5

    Emerson grads earn $16.1K more ten years out than Southeastern's ($62,832 vs. $46,744)

    Median earnings, 10 yrs
  6. 6

    Southeastern has 6 pts more Pell recipients than Emerson (22% vs. 16%)

    Pell Grant recipients

The shape of each school

Each axis is a national rank among 4-year colleges; further out = more of it.

SelectivityTest scoresSizePell shareFirst-genDiversity

Hollow dots at the center mean that measure isn't reported.

Who's hardest to get into

Emerson admits 51%, Southeastern 53%; Southeastern's yield is higher, at 49%.

Acceptance rate
Southeastern53%
Emerson51%
Quad's selectivity
  • SoutheasternSelective
  • EmersonVery selective
SAT middle 50%Axis 1200–1600
SoutheasternTest-blind
Emerson
1270–1420
How they read a recordfirst-years at 3.75+
  • SoutheasternGPA and school record required
  • EmersonGPA, school record, and prep program required

Who's on each campus

Southeastern is a bit larger than Emerson (4,813 vs. 3,870 undergrads) and has the larger Pell share.

Undergrads
Southeastern4.8K
Emerson3.9K
Pell Grant share
Southeastern22%
Emerson16%

Majors and faculty

Divinity/Ministry leads at Southeastern, and Cinematography and Film/Video Production at Emerson; Emerson has 14 students per faculty member to Southeastern's 19.

Students per faculty member
Southeastern19 to 1
Emerson14 to 1
Most popular majorshare of graduates
  • SoutheasternDivinity/Ministry25%
  • EmersonCinematography and Film/Video Production45%

What each costs

Southeastern costs about $23.9K less a year than Emerson on average, and its grants cover the larger share of its price.

Average cost, all students
Southeastern$35.9K
Emerson$59.8K
Aid generosity
Southeastern31%
Emerson26%

What each pays off

Emerson's former students earn more, a median $62.8K ten years after enrolling; six-year graduation runs from 79% at Emerson to 47% at Southeastern.

Median earnings, 10 years
Southeastern$46.7K
Emerson$62.8K
Graduation rate
Southeastern47%
Emerson79%

How each has changed

Applications grew at both; Southeastern got less selective while Emerson held steady.

Applications, 10-year change
  • SoutheasternGrowing+35%
  • EmersonGrowing+19%
All the numbersEvery figure for these colleges in one table, with differences highlighted.
Sources for this comparisonEvery dataset and year behind the numbers in this comparison; tap any ⓘ for one number's source

Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard, 2023–24;IPEDS Graduation Rates survey (Pell Grant and subsidized loan recipients), Entered fall 2018About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)

Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why