Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Abington

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

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
Location Pittsburgh, PA Abington, PA
Setting Large City Large Suburban
Enrollment 16,002 3,090
Type Private 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #694
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $14,684
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $24,586
Room & Board $16,486 $10,694
Avg Net Price $33,499 $20,460
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $9,589
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 79%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 6,463
Admitted 3,873 6,037
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 93.4%
Enrolled % 44.3% 14.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.42
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Elite Difficult
Applicant Competition Very High
ACT Range 34/35 23/31
SAT Range 1490/1570 1070/1310
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

Academics

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
Student to Faculty Ratio 5:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Business (35%)
  • Psychology (21%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (12%)
  • Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting (10%)
  • English and Literature (6%)

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
Graduation Rate 87% 44%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $271 $277

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
% Men 56% 59%
% Women 44% 41%
Racial Diversity Very High High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 50%
% Black 5% 13%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 2%
% International 18% 5%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Penn State Abington
% In-State 11% 68%
% Out-of-State 69% 21%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Penn State Abington based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 3,090 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Abington Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Abington?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 307.7% more expensive to attend than Penn State Abington for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $14,684.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 143.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Penn State Abington ($59,864.00 vs. $24,586.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Penn State Abington than Carnegie Mellon ($20,460 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Abington are 54.2% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($10,694 vs. $16,486)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Penn State Abington than Carnegie Mellon University (79% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 358.5% larger than aid received Penn State Abington ($43,966 vs. $9,589)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Abington Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 473 points higher than at Penn State Abington (975)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 11 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Penn State Abington (22)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.47 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Penn State Abington (3.42)
  • Penn State Abington has a higher acceptance rate (93.4%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn State Abington Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Penn State Abington? 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 Penn State Abington and Carnegie Mellon.

  • The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Penn State Abington (87% vs. 44%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $47,400 more per year than Penn State Abington graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $55,300)
  • Carnegie Mellon University students graduate with a $568 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State Abington graduates. ($26,250 vs. $26,818)
  • Carnegie Mellon graduates are paying $6 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State Abington graduates. ($271 vs. $277)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State Abington students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 69%)

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