Carnegie Mellon: What the Numbers Actually Say
Carnegie Mellon presents the clearest risk-and-reward arithmetic of any school profiled here. Its graduates out-earn every Ivy on this site except Penn — a hundred and fifteen thousand at the median, ten years out. They also leave with the most debt of anyone profiled here. Both facts come from the same place: a school whose computer science and engineering programmes pay extraordinarily well, at a price its aid does not fully absorb.
Carnegie Mellon admitted 11.1% of 34,867 applicants. The median graduate earns $114,862 ten years after enrolling — top 0.8% of American colleges — while the median borrower leaves owing $21,750, the highest figure profiled here.
At a glance
| Carnegie Mellon | US median | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Pittsburgh, PA | |
| Undergraduates | 7,728 | |
| Acceptance rate | 11.1% | |
| Applicants / admits | 34,867 / 3,859 | |
| Middle 50% SAT | 1500–1570 | |
| Middle 50% ACT | 34–36 | |
| Student–faculty ratio | 6:1 | |
| Average net price after aid | $31,944 | $20,150 |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs out | $114,862 | $53,038 |
| Median debt at graduation | $21,750 | $23,000 |
US medians are across every college reporting the figure to the College Scorecard — roughly 1,700 for net price and 1,800 for earnings.
Outcomes: the earnings case
Median earnings, 10 years after entry · US median $53,038
Earnings of students from the lowest-income third · US median $42,600
Average net price after aid · US median $20,150
Median debt at graduation · US median $23,000
Bar length is the share of US colleges this school beats on each measure; the tick marks the national median. Price and debt are inverted, so a longer bar is always the better outcome. Source: College Scorecard.
Median earnings of $114,862 ten years after enrolling put Carnegie Mellon in the top 0.8% of American colleges, ahead of every Ivy profiled here but one. Students from the lowest-income third of families are earning a mean $112,300 a decade after they started. 96.6% of first-years return and 94.3% graduate within six years.
Cost: where the arithmetic tightens
The sticker is about $88,670 — modest by the standards of its private peers — but the average net price after grants is $31,944, higher than 88.2% of American colleges. Carnegie Mellon meets 100% of demonstrated need, with an average first-year grant of $56,222.
| Family income | Carnegie Mellon | US median |
|---|---|---|
| Under $30,000 | $9,097 / year | $15,238 |
| $30,000 – $48,000 | $6,994 / year | $15,431 |
| $48,000 – $75,000 | $14,468 / year | $17,510 |
| $75,000 – $110,000 | $24,865 / year | $21,308 |
| Over $110,000 | $51,480 / year | $25,893 |
Average net price actually paid by aided US students at each income level, from the College Scorecard. Sticker price is what almost nobody at these income levels pays.
The result shows up in borrowing: 29.3% of students take loans and the median borrower leaves owing $21,750 — more than at any other school profiled here. Against $114,862 of median earnings ten years after entry that is a defensible trade, but it is a real one, and worth running against your own numbers rather than assuming the earnings cover it.
Admissions: what Carnegie Mellon says it weighs
Carnegie Mellon drew 34,867 applications and admitted 3,859 — 11.1% — with 46.7% of admits enrolling. The early round is binding Early Decision. Admission is by individual college, and selectivity varies sharply between them: the university-wide rate below understates how hard computer science is to enter.
| Application factor | Carnegie Mellon says | How common that is |
|---|---|---|
| Academic GPA | Very important | 91% of schools say the same |
| Application Essay | Very important | 34% of schools say the same |
| Recommendation(s) | Very important | 32% of schools say the same |
| Rigor of secondary school record | Very important | 87% of schools say the same |
| Standardized test scores | Very important | 26% of schools say the same |
| Character/personal qualities | Important | only 22% of schools say the same |
| Class rank | Important | 47% of schools say the same |
| Extracurricular activities | Important | 29% of schools say the same |
| Talent/ability | Important | only 24% of schools say the same |
| Alumni/ae relation | Considered | 40% of schools say the same |
| First generation | Considered | 65% of schools say the same |
| Interview | Considered | 41% of schools say the same |
| Level of applicant's interest | Considered | 45% of schools say the same |
| Volunteer work | Considered | 66% of schools say the same |
| Work experience | Considered | 69% of schools say the same |
| Geographical residence | Not considered | 62% of schools say the same |
| Religious affiliation/commitment | Not considered | 89% of schools say the same |
| State residency | Not considered | 57% of schools say the same |
The school’s own ratings from its Common Data Set filing, set against the 362 filings in our dataset. Bold rows are ratings fewer than a quarter of schools share — the places this school’s process is genuinely unusual. Declared weight is not submission policy; requirements change year to year and should be checked directly.
The filing is more transcript-led than most of its peers. Character and talent are rated important rather than at the top of the scale — positions only around a quarter of schools take — while GPA, rigour, essays, recommendations and test scores all sit high. For a school whose drama and art programmes audition, that is a more conventional process than the reputation suggests.
The admitted middle 50% runs 730–770 on SAT reading and 770–800 on maths, with an average high-school GPA of 3.89. 65.5% of enrolled first-years submitted a score.
Campus
7,728 undergraduates on a 6:1 student–faculty ratio, with 67.7% of course sections under 20 students. Greek life is modest — 6% of men and 6% of women — and 99.9% of first-years live on campus, among the highest shares profiled here.
Frequently asked questions
What is Carnegie Mellon’s acceptance rate?
11.1% university-wide, from 34,867 applications. That figure understates the difficulty of the most competitive programmes — admission is by individual college, and computer science is far harder to enter than the overall rate suggests.
Do Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a lot?
Yes — a median $114,862 ten years after enrolling, the top 0.8% of American colleges and ahead of most Ivy League schools profiled here.
How much debt do Carnegie Mellon students take on?
More than at any other school profiled here: 29.3% borrow, and the median borrower leaves owing $21,750. The average net price is $31,944, higher than 88.2% of US colleges.
How much does Carnegie Mellon actually cost?
An average $31,944 a year after grants against a sticker of about $88,670. A family earning $75,000–$110,000 typically pays $24,865. It meets 100% of demonstrated need.
What SAT scores do you need for Carnegie Mellon?
The admitted middle 50% scored 730–770 on reading and 770–800 on maths, with an average high-school GPA of 3.89. Requirements vary by college — check the programme you are applying to.
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