Carnegie Mellon University

10/10 Overall Rating
4 Year
Pittsburgh, PA
0 reviews

#4 Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

Overview Admission Cost Majors Diversity Outcomes Salaries Location Compare Reviews Admission Calculator

Overview

Total enrollment

15,888

Location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Website cmu.edu
Type Private 4 Year
Setting Large City

Best Colleges Rank

#45

Size Mid-size
Status Non-profit
Housing Yes
Level of Study Undergrad/Graduate

Carnegie Mellon University occupies an urban campus in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, approximately three miles from downtown, where historic collegiate Gothic architecture combines with modern academic facilities. Founded in 1900 by industrialist Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools, the institution became Carnegie Mellon University in 1967 through a merger with Mellon Institute. The university maintains leading programs in computer science, robotics, engineering, and fine arts, while the School of Drama and School of Computer Science are consistently recognized among the top programs nationally. Students typically reside on campus for their first two years in residence halls centered around the "Cut," a grassy campus hub, with upperclassmen often moving to nearby neighborhoods. The university competes in NCAA Division III athletics as the Tartans, though it is primarily known for its academic and research achievements, particularly in artificial intelligence, human-computer interaction, and theatrical arts.

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Ratings

Carnegie Mellon is rated within the top 10% of four-year colleges nationally and earns a CollegeSimply grade of 10 out of 10.

Overall Rating

10 out of 10
Academics

10 out of 10
Resources

10 out of 10
Outcomes

9 out of 10
Value

10 out of 10

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Rankings

Rankings for Carnegie Mellon University within the 2027 CollegeSimply Best Colleges Lists.

Best Colleges in the U.S.

#45
Best Private Colleges in the U.S.

#45
Best Colleges in Pennsylvania

#4
Best Private Colleges in Pennsylvania

#4
Best Value Colleges in the U.S.

#79
Best Value Colleges in Pennsylvania

#5

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Admissions

Admission Standards

Exceptional

SAT (enrolled mid-50) 1500/1570
ACT (enrolled mid-50) 34/35
GPA 3.89

Acceptance Rate

11.7%

Applications Due Jan 1, 2027
Enrollment Rate 45.7%
Application Fee $75

Applicant Competition Very High

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Annual Cost to Attend

Tuition

$66,246

Costs for Carnegie Mellon University
Fee		Cost
Tuition		$66,246
Books and Supplies		$1,000
Other Fees		$1,650
Room and Board		$18,166
Budget for Other Expenses		$1,400
Total One Year Cost		$88,462

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Student Outcomes

Average Salary After 10 Years

$102,700 per year

Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rate

87% within 6 years

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Popular Areas of Study

Popular majors at Carnegie Mellon University are Engineering, Computer and Information Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts. 26% of students major in Engineering, 14% in Computer and Information Sciences, and 10% in Visual and Performing Arts.