Carnegie Mellon vs. Pitt

Should I go to Carnegie Mellon University or University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Carnegie Mellon or Pitt 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. University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus comparison
Carnegie Mellon University University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus College 3 College 4
Carnegie Mellon University University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus
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Overview

Carnegie Mellon Pitt
Location Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 16,002 33,767
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #128
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu pitt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Pitt
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $19,760
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $36,000
Room & Board $16,486 $12,360
Avg Net Price $33,499 $24,286
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $10,919
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 85%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Pitt
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 53,072
Admitted 3,873 26,079
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 49.1%
Enrolled % 44.3% 16.8%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.79
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 34/35 29/33
SAT Range 1490/1570 1280/1470
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 Pitt
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 (15%)
  • Social Sciences (12%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • English and Literature (9%)
  • Engineering (9%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Pitt
Graduation Rate 87% 79%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $58,000
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $26,909
Median Loan Payment $271 $278

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Pitt
% Men 56% 42%
% Women 44% 58%
Racial Diversity Very High Low
HBCU No No
% White 32% 74%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 3%
% International 18% 4%
% Unknown Race 5% 1%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Pitt
% In-State 11% 54%
% Out-of-State 69% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (33,767 students vs. 16,002 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Pitt Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Pitt?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 203% more expensive to attend than Pitt for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $19,760.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 66.3% higher at Carnegie Mellon than University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ($59,864.00 vs. $36,000.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Carnegie Mellon ($24,286 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus are 33.4% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($12,360 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus than Carnegie Mellon University (85% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 302.7% larger than aid received University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus ($43,966 vs. $10,919)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Pitt Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 176 points higher than at Pitt (1272)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Pitt (29)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Pitt (3.79)
  • Pitt has a higher acceptance rate (49.1%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Pitt Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Pitt? 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 Pitt and Carnegie Mellon.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Campus (87% vs. 79%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $44,700 more per year than Pitt graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $58,000)
  • Carnegie Mellon University students graduate with a $659 lower median federal student loan debt than Pitt graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,909)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $7 less per month on federal student loans than Pitt graduates. ($271 vs. $278)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Pitt students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 75%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/