Admit rate has ranged 11%–17% over the last 5 years. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Carnegie Mellon University is a powerhouse of innovation where tech meets the arts, producing graduates who land at the top of their fields—whether in AI labs or Broadway stages. With an 11.7% acceptance rate and a reputation for rigorous academics, CMU attracts brainy, driven students who thrive in its intense yet collaborative culture. Its Pittsburgh campus buzzes with interdisciplinary energy, from robotics competitions to avant-garde theater productions.
Admission requirements
Test-optional — scores considered if submitted
Required
High school transcript
Grade point average
Letters of recommendation
College-prep program
Demonstrated competencies
TOEFL (non-native English)
Considered (not required)
Class rank
Test scores (SAT/ACT)
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
3.0 / 3.0Meets the federal financial-responsibility standard
U.S. Dept. of Education Financial Responsibility Composite Score (FY2022-23). Scale −1.0 to 3.0; ≥1.5 meets the standard. Reported for private nonprofit & for-profit institutions only — public universities are state-backed and not scored, so this is a stability signal, not a ranking.
Top-earning majors
Median earnings by field of study (highest credential), ~2 years after completion.
Computer Science$160,116
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$114,223
Finance and Financial Management Services$95,295
Computer and Information Sciences, General$94,408
Design and Applied Arts$89,859
Statistics$88,506
Campus & location
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
3
Per 1,000 students
0.41
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
92
Summer high
82°F
Winter low
27°F
Annual rain
49.1"
Annual snow
21.1"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively High
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Deep dive — research, future-scholar output & economic mobility▾
Research output
Institutional h-index
1,140
Scholarly works
158,055
Institutional research volume and impact from OpenAlex. The h-index reflects large research universities and will be low for teaching-focused liberal-arts colleges — not a measure of undergraduate quality.
Share of this school’s graduates who go on to earn research doctorates (2010–20), by national rank and per-capita yield (NSF institutional-yield ratio). A signal of a research-oriented student culture — not a causal promise, since it partly reflects who enrolls. Only top producers appear. Source: NSF NCSES, Baccalaureate Origins of U.S. Research Doctorate Recipients.
Economic mobility
Mobility rate
2.2%
Bottom → top quintile
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Carnegie Mellon University?
Carnegie Mellon University's acceptance rate is approximately 12% (Pittsburgh, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon University?
Admitted students at Carnegie Mellon University typically score 1500–1570 on the SAT (the middle-50% range). Scores outside this band are still admitted, especially with strong applications.
How much does Carnegie Mellon University cost?
At Carnegie Mellon University, the average net price (after aid) is about $31,944 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Carnegie Mellon University?
Carnegie Mellon University enrolls approximately 7,304 undergraduate students.
Where is Carnegie Mellon University located?
Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, PA.
Admissions
Getting into CMU is fiercely competitive, with an 11.7% overall acceptance rate—though this varies dramatically by program (e.g., 4% for Drama, 34% for Architecture). The middle 50% SAT range is 1510–1560, and ACT scores hover between 34–35. Notably, the School of Computer Science requires SAT/ACT scores, while other programs are Test-optionalA policy where you choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. If you don't, the rest of your application carries more weight.. Admissions officers weigh high school GPA, essays, and extracurriculars heavily, seeking students with both academic chops and creative problem-solving skills. Early Decision applicants enjoy a slight boost in selectivity.
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Systems Science and Theory$84,393
Business Administration, Management and Operations$80,196
Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings). Figures cover graduates who received federal aid and lag ~2 years; not all programs report data.
53%
From bottom quintile
4%
Mobility rate = the share of students who both start in the bottom household-income quintile and reach the top quintile; bottom → top is that chance conditional on starting at the bottom. Source: Opportunity Insights Mobility Report Cards (Chetty, Friedman, Saez, Turner & Yagan). Reflects 1980–82 birth cohorts, so it’s directional, not current.
Academics
CMU dominates in computer science, AI, and engineering (ranked #1 in seven undergrad programs, including cybersecurity and programming languages), but its strengths span the arts and humanities. The interdisciplinary culture encourages collaborations like robotics majors designing sets for theater productions. With 80+ majors and 90+ minors, standout programs include:
Artificial Intelligence (3% of majors)
Business/Quantitative Economics (3%)
Drama (notably cutthroat, with a 4% Acceptance rateThe share of applicants a college admits in a given year. A 10% acceptance rate means it admits about 1 in 10 applicants.)
Classes are rigorous—students joke about 'sleep deprivation as a minor'—but the 6:1 faculty ratio ensures close mentorship.
CMU’s vibe is work-hard, play-hard-geeky: think hackathons followed by midnight screenings of cult films. The campus teems with 450+ clubs, from competitive robotics teams to Scotch-tasting societies. While stereotypes paint students as antisocial, Reddit threads reveal a tight-knit community bonded over shared intensity ('friends, classes, studying, and growing as a person'). Housing guarantees four years, and Pittsburgh offers cheap eats and indie arts scenes. The Spring Carnival—a weekend of buggy races and booth-building—epitomizes CMU’s quirky, creative spirit.
CMU graduates command top salaries, averaging $84,000 early-career—$26K above the national norm for similar schools. A 93% graduation rate reflects strong support systems. Key stats:
74% employed within 6 months (many at tech giants like Google, Meta)
20% pursuing grad school (often at elite programs)
Highest earners: CS and engineering grads (some crossing $120K starting)
Even arts alumni thrive, with drama grads landing Broadway roles and design students at firms like IDEO.
CMU’s sticker price is steep, but 39% of students receive aid, with average packages of $56,005. The Net priceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price — usually far less than the published cost. calculator is notoriously accurate (users report ±$4K estimates). Key figures:
Average net price: $32,964 after aid
Aid types: Mostly grants (not loans)
Pro tip: SCS and engineering students often secure lucrative internships to offset costs
Families earning <$75K may qualify for full-tuition grants under CMU’s equity initiatives.
CMU is the place for students who want to invent the future—whether through code, robotics, or experimental theater. Its unmatched tech-art synergy (think: drama majors using motion-capture tech) fosters unicorn graduates who bridge Silicon Valley and Carnegie Hall. The Pittsburgh campus, with its brutalist towers and maker spaces, hums with a no-bullshit, high-ambition ethos—perfect for those who’d rather build a startup than chant at football games.
