Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State New Kensington

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

Carnegie Mellon Penn State New Kensington
Location Pittsburgh, PA Upper Burrell, PA
Setting Large City Rural Fringe
Enrollment 15,596 456
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 New Kensington
Tuition (In State) $62,260 $13,824
Tuition (Out of State) $62,260 $23,316
Room & Board $17,468 $13,448
Avg Net Price $32,964 $19,294
Avg Grant Aid $47,550 $7,450
% Receiving Grant Aid 49% 91%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn State New Kensington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,707 643
Admitted 3,843 600
Acceptance Rate 11.4% 93.3%
Enrolled % 44.4% 20.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 -
Typical High School Grades A- -
Admissions Standards Elite Average
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 34/35 25/27
SAT Range 1500/1570 1030/1270
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 New Kensington
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 9:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (27%)
  • Health Professions (19%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Communication (14%)
  • Engineering (11%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Penn State New Kensington
Graduation Rate 87% 40%
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 New Kensington
% Men 32% 1%
% Women 21% 6%
Racial Diversity Very High Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 32% 87%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 2%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 1%
% International 18% 2%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Penn State New Kensington
% In-State 9% 85%
% Out-of-State 71% 13%

Campus

Carnegie Mellon Penn State New Kensington
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 New Kensington based on total student enrollment (15,596 students vs. 456 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State New Kensington Cost Comparison

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

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 350.4% more expensive to attend than Penn State New Kensington for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $13,824.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 167% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State New Kensington ($62,260.00 vs. $23,316.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State New Kensington than Carnegie Mellon ($19,294 vs. $32,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State New Kensington are 29.9% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($13,448 vs. $17,468)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State New Kensington than Carnegie Mellon University (91% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 538.3% larger than aid received Penn State New Kensington ($47,550 vs. $7,450)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State New Kensington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 468 points higher than at Penn State New Kensington (980)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 12 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State New Kensington (21)
  • Penn State New Kensington has a higher acceptance rate (93.3%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State New Kensington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State New Kensington (87% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State New Kensington 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 New Kensington graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State New Kensington graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State New Kensington 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/