Carnegie Mellon vs. UVA

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

Carnegie Mellon UVA
Location Pittsburgh, PA Charlottesville, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,002 26,082
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #59
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu virginia.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon UVA
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $16,980
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $51,870
Room & Board $16,486 $12,890
Avg Net Price $33,499 $19,469
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $26,818
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 34%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon UVA
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 50,926
Admitted 3,873 9,503
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 18.7%
Enrolled % 44.3% 42.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.85
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 34/35 32/34
SAT Range 1490/1570 1400/1540
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 UVA
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Social Sciences (23%)
  • Engineering (10%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Business (8%)
  • Psychology (7%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon UVA
Graduation Rate 87% 94%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $77,200
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 86%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $271 $201

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon UVA
% Men 56% 45%
% Women 44% 55%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 60%
% Black 5% 6%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 18% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 6%

Students

Carnegie Mellon UVA
% In-State 11% 62%
% Out-of-State 69% 33%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Virginia Main Campus is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (26,082 students vs. 16,002 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. UVA Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or UVA?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 252.6% more expensive to attend than UVA for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 15.4% higher at Carnegie Mellon than University of Virginia Main Campus ($59,864.00 vs. $51,870.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Virginia Main Campus than Carnegie Mellon ($19,469 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Virginia Main Campus are 27.9% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($12,890 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carnegie Mellon University than University of Virginia Main Campus (47% vs. 34%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 63.9% larger than aid received University of Virginia Main Campus ($43,966 vs. $26,818)

Carnegie Mellon vs. UVA Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 84 points higher than at UVA (1364)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UVA (31)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UVA (3.85)
  • UVA has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. UVA Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at UVA is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (94% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $25,500 more per year than UVA graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $77,200)
  • University of Virginia Main Campus students graduate with a $6,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,250)
  • UVA graduates are paying $70 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($201 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UVA students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 86%)

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