Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Berks

Should I go to Carnegie Mellon University or Penn State Berks? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Berks is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

NYU Johns Hopkins Case Western Cornell Emory Penn State Altoona Penn Duke Georgetown WUSTL Swarthmore Caltech
Carnegie Mellon University vs. Penn State Berks comparison
Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Berks College 3 College 4
Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Berks
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Berks
Location Pittsburgh, PA Reading, PA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 16,002 2,077
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #657
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Berks
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $25,854
Room & Board $16,486 $14,334
Avg Net Price $33,499 $21,728
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $8,528
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 66%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Berks
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 5,605
Admitted 3,873 5,453
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 97.3%
Enrolled % 44.3% 11.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.39
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 34/35 23/28
SAT Range 1490/1570 1090/1290
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 Berks
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Berks
Graduation Rate 87% 55%
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 Berks
% Men 56% 59%
% Women 44% 41%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 68%
% Black 5% 9%
% Hispanic 8% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 18% 3%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Berks
% In-State 11% 64%
% Out-of-State 69% 30%

Campus

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Berks
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required Yes No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Penn State Berks based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 2,077 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Berks Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Berks?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 289% more expensive to attend than Penn State Berks for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $15,388.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 131.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State Berks ($59,864.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Berks than Carnegie Mellon ($21,728 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Berks are 15% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($14,334 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Berks than Carnegie Mellon University (66% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 415.5% larger than aid received Penn State Berks ($43,966 vs. $8,528)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Berks Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Berks? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Berks or Carnegie Mellon .

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 470 points higher than at Penn State Berks (978)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State Berks (22)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.5 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Penn State Berks (3.39)
  • Penn State Berks has a higher acceptance rate (97.3%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Berks Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Berks? 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 Berks and Carnegie Mellon.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State Berks (87% vs. 55%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State Berks 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 Berks graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Berks graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Berks 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/