Yale University
NEW HAVEN, CT
Emory University
ATLANTA, GA
COLLEGE COUNCIL · ATLAS · US UNIVERSITIES

Yale vs Emory - US university comparison

Yale University
YALE
New Haven, CT
World rank · ARWU#11
Acceptance4.7%
Median SAT1540
Graduation rate95.7%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$101K
Emory University
EMORY
Atlanta, GA
World rank · ARWU#101-150
Acceptance10.29%
Median SAT1510
Graduation rate91.1%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$80K
🔒 UNDERGRADUATE 🔒 GRADUATE

KEY DATA

Yale University Emory University
#11 World rank · ARWU #101-150
#10 Rank · THE -
4.7% Acceptance rate 10.29%
1540 Median SAT 1510
95.7% Graduation rate 91.1%
15,657 Enrollment 15,179

HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS

4.7% Acceptance rate 10.29%
68.4% Yield rate 40.4%
1540 Median SAT 1510
- Avg. GPA 3.84
50,264 Number of applications 34,614
10.6% Int'l students 16.7%
$101K Median earnings · 10 yrs $80K
$66K Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs $58K
$194K Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs $120K
95.7% Graduation rate 91.1%
99.4% Retention rate 96%
$12,975 Median debt $18,250
$72,500 Tuition · year $68,056
$74,353 Avg. aid package $67,329
100% % of need met 99.9%
$22,185 Avg. graduate debt $24,562
$80 Application fee $75
$84,185 Avg. int'l aid $54,457
At a glance
Yale leads in 10 of 11 measured metrics
Acceptance4.7% vs 10.29%
Yield68.4% vs 40.4%
Debt$12,975 vs $18,250

The verdict, from the data

A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Yale admits 4.7%, Emory admits 10.3%.

The more international environment is at Emory (16.7% international students) than Yale (10.6%).

For an applicant from outside the US the difference is financial: Yale awards international students $84,185 on average, Emory awards $54,457.

The gap in median earnings after a decade favours Yale: $101K against $80K.

The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.

Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.

EXPERT TAKE

Yale is the more selective of the two (4.7% vs 10.29% acceptance). Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#11 vs #101-150). Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $80K). Emory has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,056 vs $72,500 per year).

Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.

Choose Yale for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.

Choose Emory for: lower tuition.

College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.

BY THE NUMBERS

Admissions

Yale is more selective (4.7% vs 10.29% acceptance); Yale has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1510).

Graduate outcomes

Yale graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($101K vs $80K); Yale has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.7% vs 91.1%).

Cost and aid

Emory has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,056 vs $72,500); Yale offers a larger average aid package ($74,353 vs $67,329).

VALUE LANDSCAPE

$35k$76k$117k$158k$11k$35k$59k$83kYaleEmory TUITION · YEAR → MEDIAN EARNINGS · 10 YRS →
Each dot is a comparable US university; Yale and Emory highlighted. Up and to the left = better value ratio.

FULL DATA TABLE

Metric Yale Emory
World rank · ARWU#11#101-150
Rank · THE#10-
Acceptance rate4.7%10.29%
Yield rate68.4%40.4%
Median SAT15401510
Avg. GPA-3.84
Number of applications50,26434,614
International students10.6%16.7%
Median earnings · 10 yrs$101K$80K
Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs$66K$58K
Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs$194K$120K
Graduation rate95.7%91.1%
Retention rate99.4%96%
Median debt$12,975$18,250
Tuition · year$72,500$68,056
Avg. aid package$74,353$67,329
% of need met100%99.9%
Avg. graduate debt$22,185$24,562
Application fee$80$75
Enrollment15,65715,179

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is it harder to get into Yale or Emory?

It's harder to get into Yale. Yale accepts 4.7% of applicants, while Emory accepts 10.29%.

Do Yale or Emory graduates earn more?

Yale graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $101K vs $80K.

How much is tuition at Yale vs Emory?

Sticker-price tuition is $72,500 per year at Yale and $68,056 per year at Emory.

What SAT score do you need for Yale or Emory?

The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Yale and 1510 at Emory; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.

Which university ranks higher - Yale or Emory?

Yale ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #11 for Yale vs #101-150 for Emory.

Which university offers more financial aid - Yale or Emory?

The average aid package is $74,353 at Yale and $67,329 at Emory.

Compare Yale with
Highest-ranked in ARWU. Click "↻ Change university" in the cards above to choose from all 47 universities (+35).
All metrics come 100% from College Council Atlas (canonical) - admissions, SAT, GPA, graduate outcomes, financial aid and costs from IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25; rankings from ARWU 2024 and THE 2025. Zero manual fields. "-" = not yet in canonical.