Carnegie Mellon acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
Carnegie Mellon University · Private nonprofit · Pittsburgh, PA · 7,289 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
Carnegie Mellon admitted 11.4% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 25.5% in 2013. Tuition and fees are $68,776 for every student in 2025-26.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 25.5% | 18,884 | 4,813 |
| 2014 | 24.6% | 19,812 | 4,874 |
| 2015 | 23.7% | 20,547 | 4,873 |
| 2016 | 21.7% | 21,189 | 4,601 |
| 2017 | 22.2% | 20,497 | 4,550 |
| 2018 | 17.1% | 24,351 | 4,170 |
| 2019 | 15.4% | 27,634 | 4,267 |
| 2020 | 17.3% | 26,189 | 4,524 |
| 2021 | 13.5% | 32,896 | 4,453 |
| 2022 | 11.3% | 34,261 | 3,873 |
| 2023 | 11.4% | 33,707 | 3,843 |
Applications went from 18,884 in fall 2013 to 33,707 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $14,468 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,293 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $17,816 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $24,455 |
| Over $110,000 | $56,003 |
| Tuition and fees, all students (2025-26) | $68,776 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $86,759 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $35,780 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 51% submitted the SAT, 17% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar private colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| Swarthmore PA | 6.9% | $69,226 same for all |
| UPenn PA | 5.9% | $71,236 same for all |
| Villanova PA | 25.1% | $70,826 same for all |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
Carnegie Mellon offered places to 11.4% of its 33,707 fall 2023 applicants.1 In 2013 that share was 25.5%, a decline of 14.1 percentage points.1 The rate went down in 7 of the 10 yearly comparisons.1 While applications grew 78%, the admitted group shrank 20%, from 4,813 to 3,843.1
Scores are optional, and the middle 50% of SAT math results ran from 770 to 800 in 2023, with ACT composites from 34 to 35.1
Tuition and fees are $68,776 for 2025-26, charged to every student alike.2 The median for the 77 private bachelor's colleges in Pennsylvania is $43,696.2 Net price in 2024-25 averaged $14,468 for families earning $0 to $30,000, but just $4,293 for the $30,001 to $48,000 band.2 At incomes over $110,000 it was $56,003.2
Among 2019 entrants, 94% graduated within 6 years, compared with a 60% median across 115 Pennsylvania bachelor's colleges.2 Median earnings reached $125,257 at 10 years after entry, and median debt for federal borrowers who finished was $19,000.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 33,707 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 3,843 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 1,708 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 7,289 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 730 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 770 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 800 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 34 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 35 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 51% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 17% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, all students | $68,776 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $86,759 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $35,780 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $14,468 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $4,293 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $17,816 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $24,455 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $56,003 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PRIV, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 94% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 98% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 19% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $125,257 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $19,000 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median tuition and fees, private nonprofit colleges, Pennsylvania (N = 77) | $43,696 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, private nonprofit bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Pennsylvania (N = 115) | 60% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with Carnegie Mellon, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page