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UChicago Notre Dame Duke Vanderbilt WUSTL Johns Hopkins Cornell NYU Case Western Georgetown Michigan Stanford| Northwestern University | Carnegie Mellon University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Location | Evanston, IL | Pittsburgh, PA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,203 | 15,596 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Private 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #16 | #43 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | northwestern.edu | cmu.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $64,887 | $62,260 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $64,887 | $62,260 | ||
| Room & Board | $20,334 | $17,468 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $23,341 | $32,964 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $64,463 | $47,550 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 52% | 49% |
Admission |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 51,769 | 33,707 | ||
| Admitted | 3,703 | 3,843 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 7.2% | 11.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 57% | 44.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.92 | 3.89 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Elite | ||
| Applicant Competition | Extreme | Very High | ||
| ACT Range | 33/35 | 34/35 | ||
| SAT Range | 1490/1560 | 1500/1570 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 6:1 | 5:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Graduation Rate | 94% | 87% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $89,800 | $102,700 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 91% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,378 | $26,250 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $200 | $271 |
Diversity |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 27% | 32% | ||
| % Women | 33% | 21% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 50% | 32% | ||
| % Black | 6% | 5% | ||
| % Hispanic | 12% | 8% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 8% | 18% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 5% |
Students |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 22% | 9% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 67% | 71% | ||
Campus |
Northwestern | Carnegie Mellon | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | Yes | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | No | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Northwestern University is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (23,203 students vs. 15,596 students)
Northwestern vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Northwestern or Carnegie Mellon?
- Northwestern University is 4.2% more expensive to attend than Carnegie Mellon for in-state tuition ($64,887.00 vs. $62,260.00)
- Out of state tuition is 4.2% higher at Northwestern than Carnegie Mellon University ($64,887.00 vs. $62,260.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Northwestern University than Carnegie Mellon ($23,341 vs. $32,964)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 16.4% lower than costs at Northwestern University ($17,468 vs. $20,334)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Northwestern University than Carnegie Mellon University (52% vs. 49%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Northwestern University students is 35.6% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($64,463 vs. $47,550)
Northwestern vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Northwestern or Carnegie Mellon? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Carnegie Mellon or Northwestern .
- The average SAT score at Northwestern University (1460) is 12 points higher than at Carnegie Mellon (1448)
- Incoming Northwestern students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Carnegie Mellon (33)
- Accepted freshman Northwestern students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.92) than students at Carnegie Mellon (3.89)
- Carnegie Mellon has a higher acceptance rate (11.4%) than Northwestern (7.2%)
Northwestern vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Northwestern 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 Northwestern.
- The graduation rate at Northwestern is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (94% vs. 87%)
- Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $12,900 more per year than Northwestern graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $89,800)
- Northwestern University students graduate with a $6,872 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($19,378 vs. $26,250)
- Northwestern graduates are paying $71 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($200 vs. $271)
- More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Northwestern students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 87%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/