Carnegie Mellon vs. Lafayette College

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

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
Location Pittsburgh, PA Easton, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,002 2,729
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #65
Religious Affiliation - Presbyterian Church (USA) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu lafayette.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $58,110
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $58,110
Room & Board $16,486 $17,336
Avg Net Price $33,499 $37,186
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $24,981
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 98%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 10,500
Admitted 3,873 3,531
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 33.6%
Enrolled % 44.3% 21.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.53
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Exceptional
Applicant Competition Very High High
ACT Range 34/35 30/33
SAT Range 1490/1570 1330/1480
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 15, 2024

Academics

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 10:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Social Sciences (33%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • English and Literature (8%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
Graduation Rate 87% 88%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $81,000
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $271 $268

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
% Men 56% 50%
% Women 44% 50%
Racial Diversity Very High Medium
HBCU No No
% White 32% 67%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 8% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 18% 9%
% Unknown Race 5% 7%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Lafayette College
% In-State 11% 16%
% Out-of-State 69% 76%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Lafayette College based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 2,729 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Lafayette College Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Lafayette College?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 3% more expensive to attend than Lafayette College for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 3% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Lafayette College ($59,864.00 vs. $58,110.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Carnegie Mellon University than Lafayette College ($33,499 vs. $37,186)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 5.2% lower than costs at Lafayette College ($16,486 vs. $17,336)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Lafayette College than Carnegie Mellon University (98% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 76% larger than aid received Lafayette College ($43,966 vs. $24,981)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Lafayette College Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 154 points higher than at Lafayette College (1294)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Lafayette College (29)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.36 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Lafayette College (3.53)
  • Lafayette College has a higher acceptance rate (33.6%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Lafayette College Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Lafayette College? 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 Lafayette College and Carnegie Mellon.

  • The graduation rate at Lafayette College is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (88% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $21,700 more per year than Lafayette College graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $81,000)
  • Lafayette College students graduate with a $250 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($26,000 vs. $26,250)
  • Lafayette College graduates are paying $3 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($268 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Lafayette College students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 91%)

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