BU vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

BU Carnegie Mellon
Location Boston, MA Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 36,714 16,002
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #79 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website bu.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

BU Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $61,050 $59,864
Tuition (Out of State) $61,050 $59,864
Room & Board $17,400 $16,486
Avg Net Price $27,829 $33,499
Avg Grant Aid $51,565 $43,966
% Receiving Grant Aid 48% 47%

Admission

BU Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 80,796 34,261
Admitted 11,607 3,873
Acceptance Rate 14.4% 11.3%
Enrolled % 31.3% 44.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.79 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Exceptional Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 31/34 34/35
SAT Range 1350/1500 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 4, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

BU Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 11:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (21%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Communication (15%)
  • Health Professions (8%)
  • Engineering (7%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

BU Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 85% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $72,000 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 82% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $27,000 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $279 $271

Diversity

BU Carnegie Mellon
% Men 43% 56%
% Women 57% 44%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 43% 32%
% Black 4% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 20% 18%
% Unknown Race 5% 5%

Students

BU Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 14% 11%
% Out-of-State 61% 69%

Campus

BU Carnegie Mellon
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No Yes
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility No No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Boston University is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (36,714 students vs. 16,002 students)

BU vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, BU or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Boston University is 2% more expensive to attend than Carnegie Mellon for in-state tuition ($61,050.00 vs. $59,864.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2% higher at BU than Carnegie Mellon University ($61,050.00 vs. $59,864.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Boston University than Carnegie Mellon ($27,829 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 5.5% lower than costs at Boston University ($16,486 vs. $17,400)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Boston University than Carnegie Mellon University (48% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Boston University students is 17.3% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($51,565 vs. $43,966)

BU vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 145 points higher than at BU (1303)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at BU (29)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at BU (3.79)
  • BU has a higher acceptance rate (14.4%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

BU vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, BU 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 BU.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Boston University (87% vs. 85%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $30,700 more per year than BU graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $72,000)
  • Carnegie Mellon University students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than BU graduates. ($26,250 vs. $27,000)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than BU graduates. ($271 vs. $279)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former BU students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 82%)

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