Harvard vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
Location Cambridge, MA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Midsize City Large City
Enrollment 30,631 16,002
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #4 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website harvard.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $52,659 $59,864
Tuition (Out of State) $52,659 $59,864
Room & Board $19,502 $16,486
Avg Net Price $19,491 $33,499
Avg Grant Aid $61,801 $43,966
% Receiving Grant Aid 56% 47%

Admission

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 61,221 34,261
Admitted 1,984 3,873
Acceptance Rate 3.2% 11.3%
Enrolled % 83% 44.3%
Avg High School GPA 4.0 3.89
Typical High School Grades A/A+ A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Extreme Very High
ACT Range 34/36 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1580 1490/1570
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 1, 2025

Academics

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (32%)
  • Biology (12%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (9%)
  • History (9%)
  • Mathematics (6%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 97% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $136,700 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 70% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $6,500 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $67 $271

Diversity

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
% Men 46% 56%
% Women 54% 44%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 32%
% Black 6% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 11% 18%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

Harvard Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 15% 11%
% Out-of-State 69% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Harvard University is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (30,631 students vs. 16,002 students)

Harvard vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Harvard or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 13.7% more expensive to attend than Harvard for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 13.7% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Harvard University ($59,864.00 vs. $52,659.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Harvard University than Carnegie Mellon ($19,491 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 18.3% lower than costs at Harvard University ($16,486 vs. $19,502)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Harvard University than Carnegie Mellon University (56% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Harvard University students is 40.6% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($61,801 vs. $43,966)

Harvard vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Harvard University (1497) is 49 points higher than at Carnegie Mellon (1448)
  • Incoming Harvard students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (34) than students at Carnegie Mellon (33)
  • Accepted freshman Harvard students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (4.0) than students at Carnegie Mellon (3.89)
  • Carnegie Mellon has a higher acceptance rate (11.3%) than Harvard (3.2%)

Harvard vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Harvard is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (97% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Harvard University earn on average $34,000 more per year than Carnegie Mellon graduates after ten years. ($136,700 vs. $102,700)
  • Harvard University students graduate with a $19,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($6,500 vs. $26,250)
  • Harvard graduates are paying $204 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($67 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Harvard students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 70%)

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