ONU vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
Location Ada, OH Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Distant Town Large City
Enrollment 3,042 15,596
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #231 #43
Religious Affiliation United Methodist - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website onu.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $36,500 $62,260
Tuition (Out of State) $36,500 $62,260
Room & Board $13,200 $17,468
Avg Net Price $26,396 $32,964
Avg Grant Aid $26,120 $47,550
% Receiving Grant Aid 96% 49%

Admission

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,537 33,707
Admitted 3,328 3,843
Acceptance Rate 73.4% 11.4%
Enrolled % 17.6% 44.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.78 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 25/29 34/35
SAT Range 1173/1376 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 Aug 15, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 13:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (19%)
  • Engineering (16%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Biology (7%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 65% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $71,200 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $271

Diversity

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
% Men 6% 32%
% Women 9% 21%
Racial Diversity Very Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 84% 32%
% Black 3% 5%
% Hispanic 1% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 18%
% Unknown Race 3% 5%

Students

 ONU Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 83% 9%
% Out-of-State 16% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than ONU based on total student enrollment (15,596 students vs. 3,042 students)

ONU vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ONU or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 70.6% more expensive to attend than ONU for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $36,500.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 70.6% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Ohio Northern University ($62,260.00 vs. $36,500.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Ohio Northern University than Carnegie Mellon ($26,396 vs. $32,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Ohio Northern University are 32.3% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($13,200 vs. $17,468)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Ohio Northern University than Carnegie Mellon University (96% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 82% larger than aid received Ohio Northern University ($47,550 vs. $26,120)

ONU vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 290 points higher than at ONU (1158)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at ONU (26)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.11 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at ONU (3.78)
  • ONU has a higher acceptance rate (73.4%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)

ONU vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ONU 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 ONU.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Ohio Northern University (87% vs. 65%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $31,500 more per year than ONU graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $71,200)
  • Carnegie Mellon University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than ONU graduates. ($26,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than ONU graduates. ($271 vs. $279)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ONU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 82%)

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