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Virginia Tech UD Rutgers UConn Pitt UMass UB NC State Michigan State NYU Clemson Johns Hopkins| Carnegie Mellon University | Penn State Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
| Location | Pittsburgh, PA | University Park, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 16,002 | 50,028 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #41 | #167 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cmu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $59,864 | $18,368 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $59,864 | $35,946 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,486 | $12,744 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $33,499 | $26,747 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $43,966 | $10,066 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 47% | 44% |
Admission |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 34,261 | 85,784 | ||
| Admitted | 3,873 | 47,360 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.3% | 55.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.3% | 19.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | - | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | - | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 26/31 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1570 | 1210/1390 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 1, 2025 |
Academics |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $102,700 | $55,300 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,250 | $26,818 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $271 | $277 |
Diversity |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 56% | 53% | ||
| % Women | 44% | 47% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 32% | 69% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 3% | ||
| % International | 18% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 11% | 51% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 69% | 40% | ||
Campus |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | Yes | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Penn State Main Campus is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 16,002 students)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State?
- Carnegie Mellon University is 225.9% more expensive to attend than Penn State for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $18,368.00)
- Out of state tuition is 66.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State Main Campus ($59,864.00 vs. $35,946.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Main Campus than Carnegie Mellon ($26,747 vs. $33,499)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 29.4% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($12,744 vs. $16,486)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Carnegie Mellon University than Penn State Main Campus (47% vs. 44%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 336.8% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($43,966 vs. $10,066)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State or Carnegie Mellon .
- The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 246 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
- Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State (27)
- Penn State has a higher acceptance rate (55.2%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Penn State and Carnegie Mellon.
- The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is the same as at Penn State Main Campus (87% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $55,300)
- Carnegie Mellon University students graduate with a $568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
- Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
- More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/