Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA
11.7%
Acceptance Rate
$66,246
Avg Cost (In-State)
$66,246
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
93.3%
Graduation Rate
7,304
Total Enrollment
What they weigh most
Source: Common Data Set
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 3
Early Deadline
November 1 (Early Decision)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
2
Letters of Rec
2
Application Fee
$75
Interview
Not required
Essays: Common App personal essay plus one CMU-specific supplemental essay explaining why you have chosen Carnegie Mellon and your particular major(s), department(s) or program(s)
Note: Portfolio required for architecture, art, design, drama, and music applicants; auditions required for music and drama programs
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$105,360
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$114,862
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
93%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | $171,264 | $268,121 | 73 |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $95,891 | $160,783 | 60 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $76,523 | $105,623 | 59 |
| Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft. | $32,967 | $40,073 | 54 |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering. | $139,337 | $250,168 | 51 |
| Systems Science and Theory. | $95,598 | $146,929 | 47 |
| Statistics. | $93,111 | $156,743 | 37 |
| Economics. | $86,284 | $144,886 | 31 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
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Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at Carnegie Mellon University
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend Carnegie Mellon University
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Carnegie Mellon University CyberCorps SFS Program
Full tuition + $25,000-$37,000/yr stipend + $6,000 prof-dev allowance
federalCMU undergrad juniors/seniors or MSIN/INI grad students in cybersecurity; US citizens; 2-3 year federal cyber service commitment.
Deadline: February
Learn more ↗CMU AI Mentorship Program for High School Students
Free program + travel stipend (~$500-$1,500)
nationalHS students from underrepresented backgrounds pursuing AI mentorship from Carnegie Mellon AI faculty + grad students. Newer outreach program.
Deadline: Spring
Learn more ↗Penn State Bunton-Waller Fellowship
Tuition + research/teaching stipend
universityUnderrepresented PhD students at Penn State pursuing teaching/research careers.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Drexel Dean's Merit Scholarship
$10,000-$24,000/year
universityDrexel incoming freshmen with strong academic profile; tiered automatic award.
Deadline: January 15
Learn more ↗Pennsylvania State Grant
Up to $5,750/year
statePennsylvania residents attending approved PA or reciprocal-state schools. Based on financial need via FAFSA.
Deadline: May 1 (August 1 for renewals)
Learn more ↗Penn State Provost Award
$2,000-$5,000/year
universityOOS students in top 10% of class with strong test scores. Automatic.
Deadline: November 30
Learn more ↗Bryn Mawr Need-Met Aid
100% need met
universityAll admitted Bryn Mawr students with demonstrated need.
Deadline: CSS Profile + FAFSA
Learn more ↗Penn State Schreyer Honors College Scholarship
$5,000-$8,000/year
universityAdmission to Schreyer Honors College; competitive nationwide.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Philadelphia Foundation Scholarships
$500-$10,000
localPhiladelphia-area students; many named funds.
Deadline: March 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $9,100 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $12,400 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $22,800 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $39,200 |
| $110,001+ | $71,400 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for Carnegie Mellon University →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 11.7% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Regular Decision
11.66%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
16.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
10.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
14.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
98.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
94.1%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Notre Dame
Notre Dame, IN
11.3% acceptance
Both admit around 11% of applicants, with 9k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Washington University in St Louis
St. Louis, MO
12.1% acceptance
Both admit around 12% of applicants, with 8k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Tulane University
New Orleans, LA
11% acceptance
Both admit around 11% of applicants, with 14k undergrads and a u campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University
Tallahassee, FL
20.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (21% vs 12%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $66k.
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
Atlanta, GA
14.1% acceptance
Similar selectivity (14% vs 12%) but out-of-state cost runs $34k — meaningfully less than $66k.
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA
16% acceptance
Similar selectivity (16% vs 12%) but out-of-state cost runs $38k — meaningfully less than $66k.
Safer alternatives
Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA
43.5% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (44% vs 12%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Syracuse University
Syracuse, NY
45.9% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (46% vs 12%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
New York, NY
47.5% acceptance
Same u setting in the Northeast, but higher admit rate (48% vs 12%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
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