Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Harrisburg

Should I go to Carnegie Mellon University or Penn State Harrisburg? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg comparison
Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Harrisburg College 3 College 4
Carnegie Mellon University Penn State Harrisburg
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Overview

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Harrisburg
Location Pittsburgh, PA Middletown, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,002 4,572
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #613
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Harrisburg
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $15,388
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $25,854
Room & Board $16,486 $14,978
Avg Net Price $33,499 $22,096
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $8,882
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 63%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Harrisburg
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 9,925
Admitted 3,873 9,483
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 95.5%
Enrolled % 44.3% 12.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.48
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Challenging
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 34/35 24/28
SAT Range 1490/1570 1100/1310
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 Harrisburg
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (34%)
  • Engineering (23%)
  • Psychology (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • English and Literature (5%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Harrisburg
Graduation Rate 87% 63%
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 Harrisburg
% Men 56% 60%
% Women 44% 40%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 59%
% Black 5% 11%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 18% 10%
% Unknown Race 5% 2%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Harrisburg
% In-State 11% 46%
% Out-of-State 69% 27%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Penn State Harrisburg based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 4,572 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Harrisburg Cost Comparison

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

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 289% more expensive to attend than Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg ($59,864.00 vs. $25,854.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Harrisburg than Carnegie Mellon ($22,096 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Harrisburg are 10.1% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($14,978 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Harrisburg than Carnegie Mellon University (63% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 395% larger than aid received Penn State Harrisburg ($43,966 vs. $8,882)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Harrisburg Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 405 points higher than at Penn State Harrisburg (1043)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (23)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.41 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Penn State Harrisburg (3.48)
  • Penn State Harrisburg has a higher acceptance rate (95.5%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Harrisburg Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State Harrisburg (87% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State Harrisburg 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 Harrisburg graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Harrisburg graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Harrisburg 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/