Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Brandywine

Should I go to Carnegie Mellon University or Penn State Brandywine? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Brandywine 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.

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Carnegie Mellon University vs. Penn State Brandywine comparison
Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Brandywine College 3 College 4
Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Brandywine
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Overview

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Brandywine
Location Pittsburgh, PA Media, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,002 1,196
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #729
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Brandywine
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $24,318
Room & Board $16,486 $13,930
Avg Net Price $33,499 $21,600
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $9,638
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 70%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Brandywine
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 2,440
Admitted 3,873 2,347
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 96.2%
Enrolled % 44.3% 17%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 34/35 23/31
SAT Range 1490/1570 1070/1285
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 Brandywine
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 (28%)
  • Work and Family Studies (28%)
  • Communication (23%)
  • Ethnic Studies (6%)
  • Education (5%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Brandywine
Graduation Rate 87% 37%
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 Brandywine
% Men 56% 61%
% Women 44% 39%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 63%
% Black 5% 15%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 18% 1%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Brandywine
% In-State 11% 74%
% Out-of-State 69% 24%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Penn State Brandywine based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 1,196 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Brandywine Cost Comparison

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

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 309.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Brandywine for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $14,624.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 146.2% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State Brandywine ($59,864.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Brandywine than Carnegie Mellon ($21,600 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Brandywine are 18.3% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($13,930 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Brandywine than Carnegie Mellon University (70% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 356.2% larger than aid received Penn State Brandywine ($43,966 vs. $9,638)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Brandywine Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 479 points higher than at Penn State Brandywine (969)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State Brandywine (22)
  • Penn State Brandywine has a higher acceptance rate (96.2%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Brandywine Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State Brandywine (87% vs. 37%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State Brandywine 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 Brandywine graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Brandywine graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Brandywine 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/