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Penn State JMU NC State Purdue Clemson UofSC UVA Mason NYU Johns Hopkins Maryland Case Western| Carnegie Mellon University | Virginia Tech | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Carnegie Mellon | Virginia Tech | ||
| Location | Pittsburgh, PA | Blacksburg, VA | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 15,596 | 38,294 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #43 | #145 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cmu.edu | vt.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Carnegie Mellon | Virginia Tech | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,260 | $12,698 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,260 | $33,310 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,468 | $14,888 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $32,964 | $22,205 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $47,550 | $8,542 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 49% | 55% |
Admission |
Carnegie Mellon | Virginia Tech | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 33,707 | 47,208 | ||
| Admitted | 3,843 | 26,923 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.4% | 57% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.4% | 26.7% | ||
| 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 | 1500/1570 | 1240/1420 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Carnegie Mellon | Virginia Tech | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 17:1 | ||
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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 | 32% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 9% | ||
| 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 | 9% | 61% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 33% | ||
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 (38,294 students vs. 15,596 students)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Virginia Tech?
- Carnegie Mellon University is 390.3% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $12,698.00)
- Out of state tuition is 86.9% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Virginia Tech ($62,260.00 vs. $33,310.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than Carnegie Mellon ($22,205 vs. $32,964)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 17.3% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($14,888 vs. $17,468)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than Carnegie Mellon University (55% vs. 49%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 456.7% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($47,550 vs. $8,542)
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 (11.4%)
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/