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NYU Johns Hopkins Case Western Cornell Emory Penn Duke Georgetown WUSTL Swarthmore Caltech Harvard| Carnegie Mellon University | Penn State Lehigh Valley | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Location | Pittsburgh, PA | Center Valley, PA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,596 | 954 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #43 | |||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cmu.edu | psu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,260 | $14,624 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,260 | $24,562 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,468 | $13,448 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $32,964 | $19,070 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $47,550 | $8,108 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 49% | 71% |
Admission |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 33,707 | 1,848 | ||
| Admitted | 3,843 | 1,741 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.4% | 94.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.4% | 16.3% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.42 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | |||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 20/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1570 | 1140/1315 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 15:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 47% | ||
| 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 Lehigh Valley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 1% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 4% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 32% | 64% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 6% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 16% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 18% | 0% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 1% |
Students |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 93% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 6% | ||
Campus |
Carnegie Mellon | Penn State Lehigh Valley | ||
| 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 Lehigh Valley based on total student enrollment (15,596 students vs. 954 students)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Lehigh Valley?
- Carnegie Mellon University is 325.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $14,624.00)
- Out of state tuition is 153.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State Lehigh Valley ($62,260.00 vs. $24,562.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Carnegie Mellon ($19,070 vs. $32,964)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 29.9% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($13,448 vs. $17,468)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Carnegie Mellon University (71% vs. 49%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 486.5% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($47,550 vs. $8,108)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Lehigh Valley? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Penn State Lehigh Valley or Carnegie Mellon .
- The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 429 points higher than at Penn State Lehigh Valley (1019)
- Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 10 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (23)
- Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Penn State Lehigh Valley (3.42)
- Penn State Lehigh Valley has a higher acceptance rate (94.2%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Lehigh Valley? 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 Lehigh Valley and Carnegie Mellon.
- The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State Lehigh Valley (87% vs. 47%)
- Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
- Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Lehigh Valley graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
- More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Lehigh Valley 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/