More selective than 97% of Pennsylvania colleges we cover. U.S. median 77%.
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class
51% of enrolled first-years sent SAT scores, 17% sent ACT scores.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Called “yield.” A high yield means many admitted students choose Carnegie Mellon University over other offers.
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class
Applicants, admits and enrollment
IPEDS Admissions, Fall 2023 entering class (first-time, degree-seeking undergraduates). Newer counts arrive with the next IPEDS release.
What Carnegie Mellon University weighs when deciding
How much each part of an application counts for first-year applicants, as Carnegie Mellon University reports it. Programs with their own criteria (nursing, music, honors) can weigh things differently.
- Rigor of high school courses
- Class rank
- High school GPA
- Extracurricular activities
- Character and personal qualities
- Volunteer work
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Talent or ability
- First-generation college student
- SAT/ACT scores
- Where you live
- Work experience
- Interview
- Alumni relation (legacy)
- State residency
- Religious affiliation
- Your demonstrated interest
Item C7. Common Data Set 2024-25 (fall 2024 first-year students), published by the college. Note: The college's file is labeled 2025-26, but its admission and enrollment figures are for students who entered in fall 2024.
High school GPA of Carnegie Mellon University first-year students
Carnegie Mellon University did not report GPA ranges for fall 2024 first-year students; the average was 3.89. Colleges report GPAs as they record them, weighted or not.
Items C11-C12; enrolled students, not admitted students. Common Data Set 2024-25 (fall 2024 first-year students), published by the college. Note: The college's file is labeled 2025-26, but its admission and enrollment figures are for students who entered in fall 2024.
Early decision, early action and the waitlist
7,117 offered a spot, 36 admitted.
Items C2, C21-C22. Common Data Set 2024-25 (fall 2024 first-year students), published by the college. Note: The college's file is labeled 2025-26, but its admission and enrollment figures are for students who entered in fall 2024.
Carnegie Mellon University SAT and ACT scores
Scores of enrolled first-year students who submitted them, Fall 2024. A quarter scored below the 25th percentile and a quarter above the 75th. If your score is above the 75th, Carnegie Mellon University is likely within reach on scores alone; below the 25th, it is a reach.
| Test | 25th percentile | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 730 | 770 |
| SAT math | 770 | 800 |
| ACT composite | 34 | 35 |
| SAT total (approx.) | 1500 | 1570 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class (reported to IPEDS). SAT total adds the two section scores, an approximation.
Carnegie Mellon University admissions year over year
| Entering class | Acceptance | SAT reading | SAT math | ACT | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2024 | 12% | 730–770 | 770–800 | 34–35 | College Scorecard |
| Fall 2023 | 11% | 730–770 | 770–800 | 34–35 | IPEDS |
Score ranges are the 25th–75th percentiles. Each year is kept as published; we add a year with every federal release.
How selective is Carnegie Mellon University compared with other Pennsylvania colleges?
Carnegie Mellon University has the 4th-lowest acceptance rate of 111 Pennsylvania colleges we cover. Schools around it:
| Rank | College | Acceptance | Graduation | Avg. net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Curtis Institute of Music | 5% | 96% | — |
| 2 | University of Pennsylvania | 5% | 97% | $28,699 |
| 3 | Swarthmore College | 7% | 92% | $23,149 |
| 4 | Carnegie Mellon University | 12% | 94% | $31,944 |
| 5 | Haverford College | 12% | 90% | $25,314 |
| 6 | Lehigh University | 26% | 88% | $36,931 |
| 7 | Villanova University | 27% | 92% | $43,756 |
| 8 | Franklin and Marshall College | 28% | 84% | $36,425 |
| 9 | Bucknell University | 29% | 86% | $40,766 |
College Scorecard, Fall 2024 entering class. All Pennsylvania colleges →
Who enrolls at Carnegie Mellon University
College Scorecard; IPEDS
Carnegie Mellon University admissions questions
What is the Carnegie Mellon University acceptance rate?
Carnegie Mellon University accepts 12% of applicants, about 1 in 9. For the Fall 2023 entering class, 3,843 of 33,707 applicants were admitted.
Does Carnegie Mellon University require the SAT or ACT?
Carnegie Mellon University considers SAT or ACT scores but does not require them (test-optional), according to its federal admissions report for Fall 2023. 51% of enrolled first-year students submitted SAT scores and 17% submitted ACT scores.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon University?
The middle 50% of Carnegie Mellon University enrolled first-year students scored 1500–1570 on the SAT and 34–35 on the ACT. A score above the upper number puts you in the top quarter of enrolled students; below the lower number puts you in the bottom quarter.
How many admitted students enroll at Carnegie Mellon University?
44% of admitted students enrolled in Fall 2023 (1,708 of 3,843).
What does Carnegie Mellon University look for in applicants?
Carnegie Mellon University reports these as very important for first-year applicants: rigor of high school courses, class rank, high school GPA, extracurricular activities, character and personal qualities, volunteer work. Important: essay, recommendations, talent or ability, first-generation college student. Considered: sAT/ACT scores, where you live, work experience. (Common Data Set 2024-25).
Is Carnegie Mellon University getting harder to get into?
Carnegie Mellon University accepted 12% of applicants for Fall 2024, compared with 11% for Fall 2023.
Is Carnegie Mellon University the right fit for your family?
Get a free report comparing Carnegie Mellon University with up to 4 other schools on what you'd actually pay, what graduates in your major earn, and how each fits your priorities.
Build my free reportCheck my chances of getting inWe never share your contact information.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard and IPEDS Admissions; Carnegie Mellon University's Common Data Set 2024-25; years shown with each figure. “Colleges we cover” means colleges awarding bachelor's degrees to at least 100 undergraduates. Back to Carnegie Mellon University overview