More selective than 97% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $83,654. College Scorecard.
Higher than 98% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 98% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median 54%.
Within 6 years · College Scorecard
Higher than 100% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover and 99% of colleges nationwide. U.S. median $53,263.
Median, 10 years after starting · College Scorecard
Carnegie Mellon University acceptance rate & admissions
Of 33,707 applicants, Carnegie Mellon University admitted 3,843 and 1,708 enrolled (IPEDS, Fall 2023 entering class). The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1500–1570 on the SAT or 34–35 on the ACT.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Test scores: College Scorecard, Fall 2024. Other figures: College Scorecard; IPEDS
Carnegie Mellon University tuition, cost & net price
What families actually pay per year, by income
Average net price after grants and scholarships for students who receive federal aid. Tap your income band.
College Scorecard, latest reported year (federal aid recipients)
Sticker price (before aid)
IPEDS 2023-24 cost items; total from College Scorecard
College Scorecard; Urban Institute Education Data Portal
State aid: Pennsylvania residents with financial need may receive a PA State Grant: up to $6,000 a year in 2026-27 at approved colleges, depending on need and the college. Not included in the prices above. Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), PA State Grant
What Carnegie Mellon University costs to finish, and how fast it pays back
Graduates of Carnegie Mellon University took 4.2 years on average to finish, so the yearly price adds up to the total below. Payback compares former students' earnings with what high school graduates earn in Pennsylvania. The figures follow your residency and income choices above.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,097 | $37,844 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,994 | $29,095 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $14,468 | $60,187 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $24,865 | $103,438 | 1.3 years |
| $110k+ | $51,480 | $214,157 | 2.7 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (79% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of former students 10 years after starting ($114,862) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $79,065 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard (net price, earnings); IPEDS Graduation Rates (time to finish); U.S. Census Bureau ACS (high school earnings). Calculated by EducationGuide.
Carnegie Mellon University majors, earnings & careers
Carnegie Mellon University offers 91 bachelor's majors across 10 areas. Earnings below are for this school's graduates of each major, four years after finishing.
- Science & Math · 20
- Engineering · 18
- Humanities & Languages · 17
- Social Sciences & Public Service · 10
- Business & Finance · 9
- Arts & Design · 8
- Technology & Computing · 6
- Communications & Media · 1
- Education · 1
- Health & Medicine · 1
Highest-earning majors at Carnegie Mellon University
| Major | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | $268,121 | $21,442 |
| Electrical Engineering | $250,168 | $22,250 |
| Computer and Information Sciences | $187,437 | — |
| Cognitive Science | $162,106 | — |
| Business Administration | $160,783 | $23,250 |
| Statistics | $156,743 | $21,375 |
| Systems Science and Theory | $146,929 | $23,250 |
| Mathematics and Statistics, Other | $145,741 | — |
Quick list of all 91 majors
- Apparel and Textiles—
- Applied Mathematics—
- Architectural Sciences and Technology—
- Architecture$73,439
- Area Studies—
- Arts and Entertainment Management—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
- Behavioral Sciences—
- Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education—
- Biochemistry—
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Other—
- Biology—
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology—
- Biomedical Engineering$109,648
- Biopsychology—
- Broadcasting / Digital Media—
- Business Administration$160,783
- Business Economics—
- Chemical Engineering$110,378
- Chemistry—
- Civil Engineering$105,199
- Classics—
- Cognitive Science$162,106
- Computer and Information Sciences$187,437
- Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other—
- Computer Programming—
- Computer Science$268,121
- East Asian Languages (Chinese / Japanese / Korean)—
- Economics$144,886
- Electrical / Electronic Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Electrical Engineering$250,168
- Electromechanical Engineering—
- Engineering$110,208
- Engineering Physics—
- Engineering Technologies / Technicians—
- Engineering-Related Fields—
- Engineering, Other—
- English—
- Entrepreneurship—
- Environmental / Natural Resources Management and Policy—
- Environmental Design—
- Environmental Science / Conservation—
- Ethnic / Gender Studies—
- Film and Photography—
- Finance—
- Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Other—
- German—
- Graphic / Interior / Fashion Design$138,588
- Health Administration—
- History—
- Information Technology—
- International / Global Studies—
- International Business—
- International Relations—
- Liberal Arts / General Studies$62,027
- Linguistics—
- Management Information Systems—
- Management Science / Analytics—
- Marketing—
- Materials Sciences$119,715
- Mathematics—
- Mathematics and Statistics, Other$145,741
- Mechanical Engineering$105,623
- Mechatronics, Robotics, and Automation Engineering—
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies—
- Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies, Other—
- Music—
- Nanotechnology—
- Neuroscience—
- Operations Research—
- Philosophy—
- Physical Sciences—
- Physical Sciences, Other—
- Physics—
- Political Science—
- Psychology$82,433
- Psychology, Other—
- Public Policy Analysis—
- Science, Technology and Society—
- Slavic, Baltic and Albanian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics—
- Social Sciences, Other—
- Software and Media Applications—
- Spanish / French / Romance Languages—
- Statistics$156,743
- Studio Art$53,726
- Systems Science and Theory$146,929
- Theatre$40,073
- Urban Studies / Affairs—
- Visual and Performing Arts—
- Visual and Performing Arts, Other—
- Writing$71,205
— means too few graduates to report earnings.
College Scorecard field of study, latest release
All majors by area with earnings 1 and 4 years out, and debt →Computer Science → Software developer
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.2% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Business Administration → Management analyst
Median annual wage for all workers in this job, not only new graduates. U.S. jobs projected to grow 10.1% from 2025 to 2035.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35
Living in Pittsburgh
Overall prices in the Pittsburgh, PA area.
BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024
2 bedrooms $1,389. Housing costs 28% below the U.S. average.
HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027
January and July average highs. 41 inches of rain a year, 25 inches of snow.
NOAA Climate Normals 1991-2020
Highest: tornado (relatively high); river flooding (very high); winter weather (relatively high).
FEMA National Risk Index, Allegheny County
Campus & students
IPEDS fall enrollment; Carnegie Classification; EADA via Urban Institute
Allegheny County at a glance
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year 2024
Compare Carnegie Mellon University with similar schools
Similar private colleges in Pennsylvania by selectivity, graduation rate and size. Tap “Why?” to see where the price difference comes from.
| School | Acceptance | You'd pay | Graduation | Earnings, 10 yrs | Price gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Mellon University | 12% | $31,944 | 94% | $114,862 | This school |
| Villanova University | 27% | $43,756 | 92% | $100,423 | |
| University of Pennsylvania | 5% | $28,699 | 97% | $111,371 | |
| Lehigh University | 26% | $36,931 | 88% | $105,584 | |
| Haverford College | 12% | $25,314 | 90% | $79,966 |
College Scorecard, latest reported year. “You'd pay” follows your residency and income choices above.
Why the price is different
Carnegie Mellon University would cost you $11,812 less per year than Villanova University, on average.
- Lower sticker price at Carnegie Mellon University, mostly from lower tuition & fees (−$1,530).
- Carnegie Mellon University gives aided families $10,673 more in grants, on average.
| Per year, Pennsylvania resident | Carnegie Mellon University | Villanova University | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & fees | $66,246 | $67,776 | −$1,530 |
| Books & supplies | $1,000 | $1,100 | −$100 |
| Housing & meals | $17,468 | $16,896 | +$572 |
| Personal & travel | $1,400 | $2,300 | −$900 |
| Living-at-home adjustment | −$2,460 | −$3,279 | +$819 |
| Sticker price | $83,654 | $84,793 | −$1,139 |
| Average grants | −$51,710 | −$41,037 | −$10,673 |
| You pay | $31,944 | $43,756 | −$11,812 |
“+” means Carnegie Mellon University costs more; “−” means it costs less. Grants are the sticker price minus the net price. Cost items: IPEDS, on-campus budget. Sticker and net price: College Scorecard, latest reported year; the adjustment reconciles the two. Net price is an average for first-time, full-time students receiving federal aid, not a quote.
Common questions about Carnegie Mellon University
What is the Carnegie Mellon University acceptance rate?
Carnegie Mellon University accepts 12% of applicants (College Scorecard). In the latest IPEDS admissions year, 3,843 of 33,707 applicants were admitted. The middle half of enrolled first-year students scored 1500–1570 on the SAT or 34–35 on the ACT.
How much does Carnegie Mellon University cost per year?
The sticker price (cost of attendance) is $83,654 a year. After grants and scholarships, students receiving federal aid pay $31,944 a year on average; families earning $0–30k pay $9,097 and families earning $110k+ pay $51,480.
How much do Carnegie Mellon University graduates earn?
Former Carnegie Mellon University students earn a median $114,862 ten years after starting college, compared with a U.S. median of $53,263 across the colleges we cover.
What is the Carnegie Mellon University graduation rate?
94% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 98% return for their second year.
How long does a Carnegie Mellon University degree take to pay off?
For a family earning $48–75k, finishing at Carnegie Mellon University costs about $60,187 after grants ($14,468 a year for 4.2 years, the average time graduates took). Former students earn a median $114,862 ten years after starting, $79,065 more than high school graduates in Pennsylvania ($35,797), so the cost is repaid in under 1 year of that gain, before taxes and interest (EducationGuide calculation).
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Sources on this page: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS; U.S. Census Bureau (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS, Employment Projections); Bureau of Economic Analysis; HUD; NOAA; FEMA; Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By); Wikidata. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Averages are not quotes; confirm costs with the school. How we score
Data: download this school's data (JSON) · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Carnegie Mellon University: cost, admissions and outcomes,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/carnegie-mellon-university (College Scorecard and IPEDS data).