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CollegeRanker
Private nonprofit Atlanta, GA · Urban · Southeast · 100% data
A+ Selectivity A Earnings A Graduation
Graduation Rate
91% A
Most students who enroll finish their degree here
Earnings (10yr)
$80,137 A
Top 4% nationally — exceptional earning power
Net Price
$22,585 D+
32% more than the typical college
Acceptance Rate
11% A+
Rejects about 89 of every 100 applicants
Earnings +97% vs avg
Graduation +60% vs avg
Net Price 32% vs avg
Mobility Top 35%

Bottom line: A B overall grade — strong outcomes across the board. 19.1× return on investment — every $1 spent returns $19.1 over 20 years. Ranked #1 in Best Nursing Colleges in Georgia.

19.1× return on investment

Every $1 spent returns $19.1 over 20 years — debt pays back in ~under a year. Net gain: $1,633,339.

What The Data Says

  1. A B overall — outcomes above the typical U.S. college.

  2. Graduates earn 97% more than the national college median.

  3. A 91% graduation rate — 60% above the national average.

  4. A top feeder school for 3 major employers.

  5. Admits just 11% of applicants — one of the most selective institutions in the country.

Economic Footprint

Inventor Rate
0.4%
Top 56%
Patents
44
Linked to graduates
World Rank
#61
Times Higher Education
Employer Pipelines
3
Top feeder programs
Patent Citations
136
Downstream influence
Research Score
48/100
Times Higher Education

Why Emory University Matters

Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, GA ranked #61 in the world by Times Higher Education, and its outcomes are not an accident. They are driven by exceptional admissions selectivity, a top-tier research enterprise, and a well-connected, high-opportunity alumni network. The result: graduates whose earnings land in the top 4% of all U.S. colleges.

Interpretation generated from this school's federal outcomes, research, and mobility data.

Institutional Profile

Institution Type
Private Research University
Carnegie Class
R1 · Very High Research
Enrollment
7,298
Setting
Urban
Designations
71
Primary Strengths
Business & Marketing, Biology & Biomedical, Social Sciences, Health Professions

Why students choose Emory University

Strong STEM core
A heavy concentration in technical fields
Top-tier research university
R1 status: undergraduates work alongside leading researchers
Influential alumni network
High cross-class social capital and reach
Highly selective peer group
Surrounded by exceptionally high-achieving students
Exceptional earning outcomes
Graduate earnings in the top 4% of colleges
Global recognition
Ranked #61 worldwide by Times Higher Education

CollegeRanker Report Card

Graded on outcomes, against every U.S. college.

B
Top 23% overall
A
Earnings
$80,137 median
B-
Value
3.5× net price
D+
Affordability
$22,585/yr net
A
Graduation
91% graduate
B-
Social Mobility
1.8% climb Q1→Q5
A+
Selectivity
11% admit rate
A
Diversity
0.80 index

Each grade is this school's national percentile on a real outcome — earnings, value, mobility, and more.

How we grade →

Overview

Emory University has an impressive graduation rate of 91%. This high percentage reflects the strong support systems in place for students and their ability to successfully navigate their academic journeys. With an acceptance rate of just 11%, Emory attracts a competitive pool of applicants, ensuring a diverse and engaged student body.

According to Opportunity Insights data, Emory's graduates earn a median salary of $80,137 ten years after enrollment. This earning potential suggests that students are well-prepared for the job market, particularly in fields like business, health professions, and social sciences. While detailed mobility rates are not available, the strong outcomes indicate that students from various socioeconomic backgrounds can succeed here.

The net price for attending Emory is $22,585, with a median debt of $18,250. This financial framework allows many students to graduate with manageable debt levels. Emory is ideal for motivated students who thrive in an academically rigorous environment and seek strong career outcomes post-graduation.

Rankings

Can I Get In?

How selective Emory University is — and how your numbers stack up.

Tool

Will I Be Accepted?

Enter your credentials to see your chances at this school.

3.0
Test Score
1050
21

Academics & Admissions

Is It Hard to Get Into Emory University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Atlanta, Georgia, Emory University sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,520. The graduation rate is roughly 91%.

Acceptance Rate
11%
Retention Rate
96%
SAT Average
1520
ACT Midpoint
33
SAT Range
1470–1550
ACT Range
32–35
Full-Time Faculty
76%
Faculty Salary (mo)
$16,636
Student–Faculty Ratio
9:1
Diversity Index
0.80
First-Gen Students
16%
Applicants
33,179
Admitted
3,767

Can I Afford It?

What you'll actually pay after grants and aid — not the sticker price.

Cost & Financial Aid

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Emory University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Emory University is $64,280, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,585. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,363 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,250 in federal student loans.

In-State Tuition
$64,280
Out-of-State
$64,280
Avg Net Price
$22,585
Median Debt
$18,250
Pell Grant Rate
18%
Federal Loan Rate
11%

What Families Actually Pay

Family Income $0–$30K
$7,363
Family Income $30K–$48K
$9,220
Family Income $48K–$75K
$11,237
Family Income $110K+
$53,018

What Happens After?

Earnings, debt, and where graduates actually land.

Students Like You

Tell us a little about yourself to see what students like you have typically experienced at Emory University — the net price for your income, your admission odds, and the outcomes that follow. These are patterns from federal data, not predictions.

Compare schools in the full simulator →Sources: College Scorecard, Common Data Set, Opportunity Insights · today's dollars (CPI-adjusted) · descriptive, not predictive

Graduate Outcomes

Is Emory University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Emory University earn a median of $80,137, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

6 Years After Entry
$74,980
8 Years
$80,270
10 Years
$80,137
Debt-to-Earnings
0.23x
Earning > $25K
80%

Earnings Trajectory

$74,980 6yr $80,270 8yr $80,137 10yr

Graduation by Timeframe

100% (1,114)
82%
100% (1,114)
82%
100% (1,114)
82%
100% (1,114)
82%

Where Grads Go

Emory University is a top feeder for:

Rank among programs feeding each employer.

Top employers of Emory University’s MBA graduates, by hires reported in the school’s employment report.

How Emory Compares

Dot right of center = above national average.

NATIONAL AVGGraduation91%Earnings 10yr$80KNet Price$23KRetention96%Median Debt$18KPell Grant Rate18%

Net Price by Family Income

What families actually pay after aid, by income bracket.

$7K$0-30K$9K$30-48K$11K$48-75K$53K$110K+

The Mobility Equation

Mobility = Access x Success. How many low-income students get in, and how many reach the top 20%?

ACCESS% from bottom 20%3.6%SUCCESS% who reach top 20%49.9%MOBILITY1.80%

College ROI Calculator

Is Emory University Worth It?

A data-driven look at the return on your educational investment — using real federal data.

Yes — for most students, Emory University delivers a positive return. Over four years, the typical net price is $22,585/year ($90,340 total). Graduates earn $80,137 at ten years, and over a 20-year career we project $1,723,679 in total earnings — a net gain of $1,633,339 (19.1× your investment). The median debt is $18,250, which takes less than a year to pay back at typical earnings. With a 91% graduation rate, the path to that return is well-tested. This is a exceptional ROI compared to national averages.

Total Cost (4yr)
$90,340
Projected 20yr Earnings
$1,723,679
Net Return
$1,633,339
ROI Multiple
19.1×
Cost Per Year
$22,585
Median Debt
$18,250
Debt Payback
Less than 1 yr
Graduation Rate
91%

Does It Change Lives?

Mobility, social capital, and innovation — does it move people up?

Social Mobility

Data: Raj Chetty's Mobility Report Card · 30M+ anonymized tax records

Does Emory University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Emory University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.80%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.6% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 49.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $175,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

Mobility Rate
1.80%
Bottom 20% → Top 20%
Success Rate
49.9%
If bottom 20% get in
From Bottom 20%
3.6%
Share of students
Parent Median Income
$238,715
today's $ (2015 cohort data)

Social Capital

Data: Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas

How Connected Is Emory University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Emory University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

Economic Connectedness
1.78
Cross-class friendships
Friending Bias
0.01
Lower = more inclusive
Volunteering Rate
11.1%
Support Ratio
1.00
Community support

Research Note

267%
Low-income students at colleges in the top quartile of economic connectedness are 267% more likely to reach the top income quintile than peers at the least-connected schools.
Data from CollegeRanker’s review of 5,745 U.S. colleges (n=1,503). Quartile comparison of mean bottom-quintile success rate, split by economic connectedness (Opportunity Insights Social Capital Atlas × Mobility Report Card).

Research & Teaching

Data: Times Higher Education World University Rankings

How Research-Intensive Is Emory University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places Emory University at #61 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 48/100, teaching at 63/100, and citation impact of 78/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

World Rank
#61
Teaching
63.4
Research
48.4
Citations
77.8
International
52.3

Innovation & Knowledge Creation

Patents, inventors, and research influence · Opportunity Insights & Times Higher Education

Emory University produces inventors at a measurable rate, with 44 patents tied to its graduates, and ranks among research universities with a 48/100 research score.

Inventor Rate
0.39%
Top 56% nationally
Patents Produced
44
Linked to graduates
Patent Citations
136
Downstream influence
Research Score
48/100
Times Higher Ed
Academic Influence
78/100
Citation impact (THE)

Institutional Finances

Data: NCES IPEDS

Investment Income
$-200,887,000

Top Programs

The fields Emory University awards the most degrees in, by share of completions. Where federal field-of-study data exists, we show what graduates in that major earned early in their careers. Each links to its degree guide — or see what someone with your income, scores, and major would pay and earn here in the Students Like You simulator.

Early-career median earnings by major (typically 1–2 years after completion, bachelor's level where available), in today's dollars (CPI-adjusted). Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard field of study. Distinct from the school-wide 10-year median; suppressed for small programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is It Hard to Get Into Emory University? Acceptance Rate & Requirements

As a private institution in Atlanta, Georgia, Emory University sets a competitive bar: about 11% of applicants get an offer. Admitted students typically arrive with an average SAT score near 1,520. The graduation rate is roughly 91%.

How Much Does It Cost to Attend Emory University? Tuition, Net Price & Aid

Published tuition at Emory University is $64,280, but few families pay that. The number to watch is net price, what students actually pay each year after federal grants and institutional scholarships. Here it averages about $22,585. Students from families earning under $30,000 typically pay closer to $7,363 after need-based grants. The median graduate leaves with about $18,250 in federal student loans.

Is Emory University Worth It? Graduate Earnings & ROI

Ten years out, alumni of Emory University earn a median of $80,137, well above the national average for bachelor's degree holders.

Does Emory University Drive Upward Mobility? Economic Mobility & Low-Income Outcomes

Emory University is a genuine engine of upward mobility. Its mobility rate, the share of students who start in the bottom income quintile and climb to the top, is 1.80%, well above the typical college. Access is narrower: only about 3.6% of students come from the bottom income quintile, typical of more selective, higher-income institutions. Among bottom-quintile students who attend, roughly 49.9% go on to reach the top of the income ladder. The median family income of students sits near $175,700, a snapshot of the campus's socioeconomic mix.

How Connected Is Emory University? Social Capital & Cross-Class Networks

Social capital, the web of cross-class friendships that researchers link to long-run upward mobility, runs high at Emory University. Its economic connectedness score is 1.78, where about 1.0 is the national norm. Its friending bias is low (0.01), a sign that students from different economic backgrounds actually mix rather than self-segregate. Around 11% of students take part in civic and volunteering activity.

How Research-Intensive Is Emory University? World Rank, Teaching & Citations

Times Higher Education places Emory University at #61 worldwide, a mark of serious research standing. Its profile spans a research score of 48/100, teaching at 63/100, and citation impact of 78/100, reflecting both the volume of research output and how often that work is cited by scholars elsewhere.

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