UC vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

 UC Carnegie Mellon
Location Cincinnati, OH Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 43,338 15,596
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #431 #43
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uc.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UC Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $11,892 $62,260
Tuition (Out of State) $28,904 $62,260
Room & Board $13,048 $17,468
Avg Net Price $21,511 $32,964
Avg Grant Aid $8,195 $47,550
% Receiving Grant Aid 68% 49%

Admission

 UC Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 33,165 33,707
Admitted 29,077 3,843
Acceptance Rate 87.7% 11.4%
Enrolled % 23.8% 44.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.69 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 24/29 34/35
SAT Range 1150/1360 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 Mar 1, 2026 Jan 1, 2026

Academics

 UC Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 UC Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 59% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $45,600 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $23,000 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $237 $271

Diversity

 UC Carnegie Mellon
% Men 11% 32%
% Women 17% 21%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 75% 32%
% Black 7% 5%
% Hispanic 3% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 4% 18%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 UC Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 77% 9%
% Out-of-State 20% 71%

Campus

 UC 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

  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (43,338 students vs. 15,596 students)

UC vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UC or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 423.5% more expensive to attend than UC for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $11,892.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 115.4% higher at Carnegie Mellon than University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($62,260.00 vs. $28,904.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Cincinnati Main Campus than Carnegie Mellon ($21,511 vs. $32,964)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Cincinnati Main Campus are 33.9% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($13,048 vs. $17,468)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Cincinnati Main Campus than Carnegie Mellon University (68% vs. 49%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 480.2% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($47,550 vs. $8,195)

UC vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 283 points higher than at UC (1165)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 7 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UC (26)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.2 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at UC (3.69)
  • UC has a higher acceptance rate (87.7%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)

UC vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UC 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 UC.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (87% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $57,100 more per year than UC graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $45,600)
  • University of Cincinnati Main Campus students graduate with a $3,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($23,000 vs. $26,250)
  • UC graduates are paying $34 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($237 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 57%)

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