BC vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

BC Carnegie Mellon
Location Chestnut Hill, MA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 15,287 16,002
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #45 #41
Religious Affiliation Roman Catholic - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bc.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BC Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $62,950 $59,864
Tuition (Out of State) $62,950 $59,864
Room & Board $16,120 $16,486
Avg Net Price $30,559 $33,499
Avg Grant Aid $49,992 $43,966
% Receiving Grant Aid 40% 47%

Admission

BC Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 40,494 34,261
Admitted 6,748 3,873
Acceptance Rate 16.7% 11.3%
Enrolled % 34.6% 44.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 33/35 34/35
SAT Range 1435/1540 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 Jan 1, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

BC Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (24%)
  • Social Sciences (17%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • English and Literature (7%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

BC Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $90,900 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 90% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,000 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $196 $271

Diversity

BC Carnegie Mellon
% Men 45% 56%
% Women 55% 44%
Racial Diversity Medium Very High
HBCU No No
% White 62% 32%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 10% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 3% 4%
% International 6% 18%
% Unknown Race 6% 5%

Students

BC Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 21% 11%
% Out-of-State 71% 69%

Campus

BC 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 BC based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 15,287 students)

BC vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BC or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Boston College is 5.2% more expensive to attend than Carnegie Mellon for in-state tuition ($62,950.00 vs. $59,864.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 5.2% higher at BC than Carnegie Mellon University ($62,950.00 vs. $59,864.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston College than Carnegie Mellon ($30,559 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Boston College are 2.3% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($16,120 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carnegie Mellon University than Boston College (47% vs. 40%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston College students is 13.7% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($49,992 vs. $43,966)

BC vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 68 points higher than at BC (1380)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BC (32)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at BC (3.86)
  • BC has a higher acceptance rate (16.7%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

BC vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BC 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 BC.

  • The graduation rate at BC is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $11,800 more per year than BC graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $90,900)
  • Boston College students graduate with a $7,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($19,000 vs. $26,250)
  • BC graduates are paying $75 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($196 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BC students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 90%)

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