Very selective
Tufts University
Medford, MA
12% admitted · $38,797/yr after aid
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA · Private nonprofit · Large city · Website
- Admission rate
- 12%
- Very selective
- Average net price
- $35,780
- per year, after aid
- Graduation rate
- 94%
- Median earnings
- $125,257
- 10 years after enrolling
Summary
Carnegie Mellon University is a private nonprofit college in Pittsburgh, PA with 7,304 undergraduates. It admits 12% of applicants, and admitted students average 1546 on the SAT. The average net price after aid is $35,780 per year ($14,468 for families earning under $30,000). 94% of students graduate, and graduates earn a median of $125,257 ten years after enrolling.
private nonprofit college
Admissions
- Admission rate
- 12%
- Fall 2024
- Testing policy
- Test optional
- Fall 2024
- Applicants
- 33,707
- Fall 2023
- Admitted
- 3,843
- Fall 2023
- Yield
- 44%
- of admitted students enrolled
Middle 50% of admitted students (Fall 2024). A quarter scored below the band and a quarter above.
SAT Reading & Writing730–770
200800
SAT Math770–800
200800
ACT Composite34–35
136
What Carnegie Mellon University looks at
As reported by the college to IPEDS (Fall 2023).
- High school recordRequired
- High school GPARequired
- College-prep courseworkRequired
- Class rankConsidered
- Essay or personal statementRequired
- RecommendationsRequired
- Demonstrated competenciesRequired
- Legacy statusNot considered
- Work experienceConsidered
- English proficiency testRequired
Cost
- Cost of attendance
- $86,759
- sticker price, per year
- Tuition & fees
- $68,776
Net price by family income
Average yearly cost after grants and scholarships for students receiving federal aid.
- $0–30k$14,468
- $30–48k$4,293
- $48–75k$17,816
- $75–110k$24,455
- $110k+$56,003
Get a personal estimate with Carnegie Mellon University's net price calculator
Outcomes
- Graduation rate
- 94%
- Freshman retention
- 98%
- Median earnings
- $125,257
- 10 yrs after enrolling
- Median debt
- $19,000
- at graduation
Students
- Undergraduates
- 7,304
- Student–faculty ratio
- 5:1
- Receive Pell grants
- 19%
- White22%
- Hispanic10%
- Black4%
- Asian35%
Carnegie Mellon University FAQ
What is Carnegie Mellon University's acceptance rate?+
Carnegie Mellon University admits 12% of applicants, which makes it very selective.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon University?+
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 730–770 on SAT Reading and Writing and 770–800 on SAT Math; the average total is 1546.
What ACT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon University?+
The middle 50% ACT composite range for admitted students is 34–35.
Is Carnegie Mellon University test optional?+
Test optional (considered if submitted).
How many students apply to Carnegie Mellon University?+
In Fall 2023, 33,707 students applied to Carnegie Mellon University and 3,843 were admitted; 1,708 enrolled.
Does Carnegie Mellon University consider legacy status?+
No. Carnegie Mellon University reported that legacy status is not considered in admissions (Fall 2023).
Does Carnegie Mellon University require an essay?+
Carnegie Mellon University reported that an essay or personal statement is required for admission (Fall 2023).
How much does Carnegie Mellon University cost?+
The sticker cost of attendance is $86,759 per year, but the average net price after grants and scholarships is $35,780.
What is Carnegie Mellon University's graduation rate?+
94% of full-time students graduate within 150% of normal time.
Sources
- Admission rate, test scores, cost, students, and outcomes: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (Most Recent Institution-Level Data), released 2026-10-15. Admissions figures are for Fall 2024, costs for 2024-25, and earnings are measured in 2023.
- Applicants, admitted, yield, and admission factors: IPEDS Admissions survey (ADM2023), Fall 2023.
- IPEDS unit ID 211440 · How we use this data
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