Purchase College vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
Location Purchase, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 3,229 15,596
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #297 #43
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website purchase.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $7,070 $62,260
Tuition (Out of State) $16,980 $62,260
Room & Board $15,400 $17,468
Avg Net Price $18,651 $32,964
Avg Grant Aid $9,627 $47,550
% Receiving Grant Aid 72% 49%

Admission

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 7,221 33,707
Admitted 5,259 3,843
Acceptance Rate 72.8% 11.4%
Enrolled % 14.8% 44.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.37 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Elite
Applicant Competition Low Very High
ACT Range 27/32 34/35
SAT Range 1178/1363 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 Jul 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Visual and Performing Arts (37%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (22%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • English and Literature (6%)
  • Communication (6%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 56% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $40,200 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 65% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $22,500 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $232 $271

Diversity

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
% Men 1% 32%
% Women 1% 21%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 55% 32%
% Black 10% 5%
% Hispanic 18% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 2% 18%
% Unknown Race 7% 5%

Students

 Purchase College Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 78% 9%
% Out-of-State 21% 71%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Purchase College based on total student enrollment (15,596 students vs. 3,229 students)

Purchase College vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Purchase College or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 780.6% more expensive to attend than Purchase College for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $7,070.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 266.7% higher at Carnegie Mellon than SUNY at Purchase College ($62,260.00 vs. $16,980.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at SUNY at Purchase College than Carnegie Mellon ($18,651 vs. $32,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at SUNY at Purchase College are 13.4% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($15,400 vs. $17,468)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at SUNY at Purchase College than Carnegie Mellon University (72% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 393.9% larger than aid received SUNY at Purchase College ($47,550 vs. $9,627)

Purchase College vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 366 points higher than at Purchase College (1082)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 8 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Purchase College (25)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.52 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Purchase College (3.37)
  • Purchase College has a higher acceptance rate (72.8%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)

Purchase College vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Purchase College 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 Purchase College.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than SUNY at Purchase College (87% vs. 56%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $62,500 more per year than Purchase College graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $40,200)
  • SUNY at Purchase College students graduate with a $3,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($22,500 vs. $26,250)
  • Purchase College graduates are paying $39 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($232 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purchase College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 65%)

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