Carnegie Mellon University Acceptance Rate & Tuition (2026)
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a selective private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, serving roughly 7,304 students. Admission is selective for first-time degree-seeking undergraduates reporting admissions data to the Education Department. The acceptance rate is about 11.66% in the latest College Scorecard admissions data. Median earnings about ten years after entry reach about $114,862 among students who received federal aid.
Key Facts
- 2024 Undergraduate Tuition: $66,246
- 2024 Average Net Price: $31,944 After Financial Aid
- 2024 Acceptance Rate: 11.66% Selective
- 2024 Enrolled Students: 7,304 97.7% Full-Time
- 2024 Graduation Rate: 94.13%
- Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
- First-Generation Students: 10.0%
- Tuition trend: In-state tuition increase of 4.1% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Net price trend: Average net price decrease of 8.3% from 2022 to 2023 (College Scorecard).
- Full-Time Faculty: 92.5%
- Average SAT Score: 1546
- Undergraduate Enrollment: 8,041
- Applicants (IPEDS): 33,707
- Room & Board: $18,166 annual estimate
Carnegie Mellon University: what the data shows
Common questions about Carnegie Mellon University, answered from College Scorecard and IPEDS in this repository.
Where is Carnegie Mellon University?
Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, PA (ZIP 15213-3890).
NCES locale classification: City.
Is Carnegie Mellon University public or private?
Carnegie Mellon University is a Private Non-profit institution.
How much does Carnegie Mellon University cost?
Published tuition: $66,246.
Average net price after aid: $31,944.
| Family income band | Avg. net price |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30,000 | $9,097 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $6,994 |
| $48,001–$75,000 | $14,468 |
| $75,001–$110,000 | $24,865 |
| $110,001+ | $51,480 |
Sticker tuition × four years (estimate, no room/board): $264,984.
How hard is it to get into Carnegie Mellon University?
Admission rate: 11.66%.
Among enrollees who submitted scores: average SAT 1546 and midpoint ACT 34.
Scorecard does not publish admitted-student GPA for most institutions.
How big is Carnegie Mellon University?
Total enrollment: 7,304 students.
Undergraduate enrollment: 8,041 students.
Graduate enrollment: 8,511 students.
About 98% enroll full-time in our extract.
What is the graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon University?
150%-time completion rate: 94.13%.
First-year retention: 98.0%.
What do graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn?
Median earnings: $105,360 six years after entry; $114,862 ten years after entry (College Scorecard).
How much debt do students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers: $21,750.
16.04% of students receive Pell grants.
What is Carnegie Mellon University known for?
Largest IPEDS program completions at this institution:
- Information Technology (697 completions)
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering (556 completions)
- Computer Science (370 completions)
- Management Science (304 completions)
- Mechanical Engineering (293 completions)
- Computer Software Engineering (237 completions)
- Artificial Intelligence (234 completions)
- Business Administration and Management, General (190 completions)
- Statistics, General (182 completions)
- Systems Science and Theory (153 completions)
See ROI & Programs for more.
Is Carnegie Mellon University a good school?
We do not score schools on opinion. Federal data in our extract show admission rate 11.66%; completion rate 94.13%; median earnings $114,862 at 10 years; net price $31,944. Compare these figures to your cost, aid, and career goals.
Tuition & Cost
Tuition Costs
$66,246
2024 Undergraduate Tuition
In 2024, the cost of tuition at Carnegie Mellon University was $66,246.
Tuition comparison with similar institutions.
Average Net Price
$31,944
2024 Value
In 2024 Carnegie Mellon University had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $31,944.
Average net price comparison with similar institutions.
Total Cost of Attendance
$127,776 Estimated 4-Year Total Cost
$31,944 Average Annual Net Price (after aid)
$264,984 4-Year Tuition
$18,166 Room & Board (annual, on-campus estimate)
$1,000 Books & Supplies (annual estimate)
$85,412 Estimated Annual Sticker (tuition + room/board + books)
$341,648 Estimated 4-Year Sticker (before aid)
4-year total cost breakdown for Carnegie Mellon University.
Financial Aid by Income Level
16.04% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants
33.57% Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans
Financial aid distribution by income level.
Student Loan Default Rate
0.00%
3-year cohort default rate (College Scorecard)
The published 3-year cohort default rate for borrowers at Carnegie Mellon University was 0.00%.
Cohort default rates account for borrowers who default in the first three years.
Tuition tracker
Published tuition and average net price by reporting year come from the College Scorecard institution file. Values are not adjusted for inflation; missing cells mean the field was not reported or was suppressed for Carnegie Mellon University in that year.
Reporting years in the table below: 2013–2023 (Scorecard labels refer to the institutional submission cycle).
| Year | In-state tuition & fees | Out-of-state tuition & fees | Average net price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | $47,642 | $47,642 | $33,386 |
| 2014 | $49,022 | $49,022 | $31,634 |
| 2015 | $50,665 | $50,665 | $34,857 |
| 2016 | $52,310 | $52,310 | $36,613 |
| 2017 | $53,910 | $53,910 | $31,102 |
| 2018 | $55,465 | $55,465 | $32,674 |
| 2019 | $57,119 | $57,119 | $34,508 |
| 2020 | $58,810 | $58,810 | $36,775 |
| 2021 | $58,924 | $58,924 | $37,846 |
| 2022 | $61,344 | $61,344 | $34,550 |
| 2023 | $63,829 | $63,829 | $31,671 |
Sticker tuition and net price over time
Where the institution reported separate in-state and out-of-state tuition, both appear. Gaps mean the value was not reported for that year.
College Scorecard reporting-year fields (not inflation-adjusted).
Net price by family income
Brackets follow Scorecard definitions for the series shown (public vs private institution).
Latest income-band net prices available in the processed extract.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Acceptance Rate
11.66% Acceptance Rate
33,707 Total Applicants
3,843 Students Admitted
1,708 First-Time Students Enrolled
44.44% Yield (enrolled ÷ admitted)
This institution is highly selective, accepting fewer than 3 in 10 applicants.
Acceptance rate compared to national average.
Test Scores
SAT Average: 1546
ACT Average: 34
Average SAT and ACT scores for admitted students.
Academic Requirements
Estimated GPA Range: 3.9 - 4.0
Estimated Median GPA: 4.00
Note: GPA requirements are estimated based on admission selectivity and test scores. Actual requirements may vary.
Estimated GPA and test score ranges.
Enrollment & Student Demographics
Carnegie Mellon University reported total enrollment of about 7,304 students in the latest College Scorecard extract. The student body is about 51% male and 49% female. Enrollment by race and ethnicity includes Asian (34.5%), White (21.6%), and Non-Resident Alien (19.1%). About 16.04% of undergraduates receive Pell Grants. Roughly 10.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment
97.7% Full-Time Enrollment
The total enrollment at Carnegie Mellon University in 2024 is 7,304 students.
Undergraduate enrollment is about 8,041 students. Graduate enrollment is about 8,511 students.
Full-time vs part-time enrollment comparison.
Retention Rate over Time
98.0%
2024 Retention Rate
Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall.
Retention rate over time compared to similar institutions.
Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity
The largest enrollment share in our College Scorecard extract is Asian at 34.5%.
Shares are for total enrollment (undergraduate and graduate combined when reported).
College Scorecard student demographics.
Graduates & Outcomes
Time to Complete
81.43% 100% Completion Time
94.13% 150% Completion Time
In 2024, 81.43% of students graduating from Carnegie Mellon University completed their program within 100% "normal time".
Completion rates over time compared to similar institutions.
Completions by Sex (Top Programs)
- Information Technology: 48% male / 52% female
- Electrical and Electronics Engineering: 70% male / 30% female
- Computer Science: 61% male / 39% female
IPEDS completions by sex for the five largest programs (aggregate CIPs excluded).
Completions by Race & Ethnicity
Combined IPEDS award counts across reported programs; largest group: Asian.
Summed across program completion records in our extract.
ROI & Programs
Financial value and program information for Carnegie Mellon University.
Return on Investment
$21,750 Median Student Debt
$114,862 Median Annual Earnings (10 years)
18.94% Debt-to-Earnings Ratio
798.93% Return on Investment
1.9 years Estimated Payback Period
Financial value analysis for Carnegie Mellon University.
Top Programs by Completions
10 largest programs by IPEDS completions (of 129 reported codes; aggregate/unknown CIP buckets excluded).
1. Information Technology: 697 completions
2. Electrical and Electronics Engineering: 556 completions
3. Computer Science: 370 completions
4. Management Science: 304 completions
5. Mechanical Engineering: 293 completions
6. Computer Software Engineering: 237 completions
7. Artificial Intelligence: 234 completions
8. Business Administration and Management, General: 190 completions
9. Statistics, General: 182 completions
Most popular programs at Carnegie Mellon University.
Employment Outcomes
Employment outcome data is not available for this institution.
Earnings outcomes for Carnegie Mellon University graduates.
Operations
Instructional staffing and expenditure indicators for Carnegie Mellon University from College Scorecard (not a full IPEDS finance statement).
Instructional Resources
- Full-time faculty share: 92.5%
- Average faculty salary (Scorecard): $13,972
- Instructional expenditure per FTE: $41,024
Endowment and detailed non-instructional staff counts require IPEDS Finance/HR surveys and are not in this extract.
Scorecard instructional metrics where reported.
About
Carnegie Mellon University is a private non-profit institution located in Pittsburgh, PA, classified as Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity. In the latest IPEDS completions in our extract, the largest programs by awards were Information Technology, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Computer Science. Enrollment is approximately 7,304 students. Student body composition includes Asian (34.5%), White (21.6%), Non-Resident Alien (19.1%). It is highly selective, with an admission rate of 11.66%. Average SAT scores for admitted students are 1546. The 150%-time completion rate is 94.13%. Approximately 16.04% of students receive Pell Grants. About 10.0% of students are first-generation college students.
Institution Type
Private Non-profit
Carnegie Classification: Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity
Location
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
Region: Mid East
Insights and Analysis
Exceptional Graduation Rate: With a 94.13% graduation rate, Carnegie Mellon University demonstrates strong student retention and completion. This rate significantly exceeds the national average, indicating effective academic support and student services.
Strong Career Outcomes: Carnegie Mellon University graduates report median earnings of $114,862 ten years after entry, placing them among the higher-earning college graduates nationally. This strong earnings potential reflects both the quality of education and the career opportunities available to graduates.
Diverse Program Offerings: With over 129 distinct degree programs, Carnegie Mellon University provides students with a wide range of academic options. This diversity allows students to explore various fields and find programs that align with their interests and career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is CMU located?
Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, PA. The institution is also known as CMU.
What is CMU's acceptance rate?
The acceptance rate at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is 11.7% among first-time degree-seeking students reporting admissions data. IPEDS reports 33,707 applicants and 3,843 admits in the latest admissions cycle in our extract.
How much does CMU cost?
Reported tuition is $66,246 and average net price is $31,944 in the latest College Scorecard data. On-campus room and board is estimated at $18,166 annually.
What is the student body demographics at CMU?
Carnegie Mellon University reports undergraduate enrollment of about 8,041 students, Asian (34.5%), White (21.6%) in federal College Scorecard data.
How many first-generation students attend CMU?
About 10.0% of students at Carnegie Mellon University are first-generation college students.
What test scores do students need for Carnegie Mellon University?
Among enrolled students who submitted scores, Carnegie Mellon University reports midpoint SAT about 1546 and midpoint ACT about 34.
What do graduates of Carnegie Mellon University earn?
Median earnings are $105,360 six years after entry and $114,862 ten years after entry.
What is the graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon University?
The 150%-time completion rate is 94.1% for the cohort reported to the College Scorecard.
How much debt do Carnegie Mellon University students have?
Median federal loan debt among completers is $21,750.
Is Carnegie Mellon University public or private?
Carnegie Mellon University is a private nonprofit institution located in Pittsburgh, PA.
Is Carnegie Mellon University an HBCU?
No. Carnegie Mellon University is not flagged as an HBCU in the IPEDS institutional directory.
Is Carnegie Mellon University a tribal college?
No. Carnegie Mellon University is not flagged as a tribal college in IPEDS.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
- Related geography & profiles
- Pennsylvania college costs
- Pennsylvania colleges by ROI
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania city profile
- Mid East regional profile
- All state profiles
- Regional profiles
- National benchmarks
- School directory
- All schools in Pennsylvania
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, which provides comprehensive information on institutions of higher education in the United States.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Graduation rates and completion times are calculated according to federal standards.