Carnegie Mellon vs. Virginia Tech

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

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
Location Pittsburgh, PA Blacksburg, VA
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 16,002 38,170
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $31,754
Room & Board $16,486 $12,680
Avg Net Price $33,499 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 57%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 45,321
Admitted 3,873 25,825
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 57%
Enrolled % 44.3% 27.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.97
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Very High
Applicant Competition Very High Low
ACT Range 34/35 27/32
SAT Range 1490/1570 1240/1430
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 87% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $271 $247

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
% Men 56% 57%
% Women 44% 43%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 68%
% Black 5% 4%
% Hispanic 8% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 18% 6%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
% In-State 11% 64%
% Out-of-State 69% 32%

Campus

Carnegie Mellon Virginia Tech
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

  • Virginia Tech is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (38,170 students vs. 16,002 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Virginia Tech?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 394.6% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $12,104.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 88.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Virginia Tech ($59,864.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Carnegie Mellon ($19,301 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 30% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($12,680 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than Carnegie Mellon University (57% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 474.8% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($43,966 vs. $7,649)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 238 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Carnegie Mellon (3.89)
  • Virginia Tech has a higher acceptance rate (57%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and Carnegie Mellon.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Virginia Tech (87% vs. 82%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $37,700 more per year than Virginia Tech graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $65,000)
  • Virginia Tech students graduate with a $2,284 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($23,966 vs. $26,250)
  • Virginia Tech graduates are paying $24 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($247 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Virginia Tech students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 81%)

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