Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Lehigh Valley

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

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Lehigh Valley
Location Pittsburgh, PA Center Valley, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,002 888
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Lehigh Valley
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $14,624
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $24,318
Room & Board $16,486 $12,984
Avg Net Price $33,499 $18,142
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $9,886
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 78%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Lehigh Valley
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 1,806
Admitted 3,873 1,699
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 94.1%
Enrolled % 44.3% 15.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 34/35 22/26
SAT Range 1490/1570 1100/1290
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 Lehigh Valley
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 (46%)
  • Education (25%)
  • Psychology (18%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (4%)
  • Foreign Languages (3%)

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 56% 57%
% Women 44% 43%
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 11% 93%
% Out-of-State 69% 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 (16,002 students vs. 888 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 309.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State Lehigh Valley 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 Lehigh Valley ($59,864.00 vs. $24,318.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Carnegie Mellon ($18,142 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Lehigh Valley are 27% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($12,984 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Lehigh Valley than Carnegie Mellon University (78% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 344.7% larger than aid received Penn State Lehigh Valley ($43,966 vs. $9,886)

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 (94.1%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

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/