UMBC vs. Carnegie Mellon

Should I go to University of Maryland Baltimore County or Carnegie Mellon University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if UMBC 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Maryland TU NYU Johns Hopkins Case Western Cornell Mason Emory UD Penn Duke Penn State
University of Maryland Baltimore County vs. Carnegie Mellon University comparison
University of Maryland Baltimore County Carnegie Mellon University College 3 College 4
University of Maryland Baltimore County Carnegie Mellon University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
Location Baltimore, MD Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 13,991 16,002
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #303 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website umbc.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $9,056 $59,864
Tuition (Out of State) $25,820 $59,864
Room & Board $13,378 $16,486
Avg Net Price $17,692 $33,499
Avg Grant Aid $8,889 $43,966
% Receiving Grant Aid 92% 47%

Admission

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,534 34,261
Admitted 9,291 3,873
Acceptance Rate 80.6% 11.3%
Enrolled % 23.1% 44.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.97 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Difficult Elite
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 23/29 34/35
SAT Range 1210/1390 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 Feb 1, 2025 Jan 1, 2025

Academics

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Computer and Information Sciences (17%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Biology (13%)
  • Psychology (12%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 57% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $59,500 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 67% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,197 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $219 $271

Diversity

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
% Men 53% 56%
% Women 47% 44%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 44% 32%
% Black 17% 5%
% Hispanic 6% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 4% 18%
% Unknown Race 4% 5%

Students

 UMBC Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 90% 11%
% Out-of-State 5% 69%

Campus

 UMBC 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 UMBC based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 13,991 students)

UMBC vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UMBC or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 561% more expensive to attend than UMBC for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $9,056.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 131.9% higher at Carnegie Mellon than University of Maryland Baltimore County ($59,864.00 vs. $25,820.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Carnegie Mellon ($17,692 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Maryland Baltimore County are 23.2% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($13,378 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Maryland Baltimore County than Carnegie Mellon University (92% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 394.6% larger than aid received University of Maryland Baltimore County ($43,966 vs. $8,889)

UMBC vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 239 points higher than at UMBC (1209)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at UMBC (27)
  • Accepted freshman UMBC students have a 0.08 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at Carnegie Mellon (3.89)
  • UMBC has a higher acceptance rate (80.6%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

UMBC vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UMBC 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 UMBC.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than University of Maryland Baltimore County (87% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $43,200 more per year than UMBC graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $59,500)
  • University of Maryland Baltimore County students graduate with a $5,053 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($21,197 vs. $26,250)
  • UMBC graduates are paying $52 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($219 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UMBC students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 67%)

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