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IU Virginia Tech Illinois Rose-Hulman Wisconsin UT Austin Ohio State UCSD Iowa NYU NC State Johns Hopkins| Carnegie Mellon University | Purdue University Main Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
| Location | Pittsburgh, PA | West Lafayette, IN | ||
| Setting | Large City | Midsize Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 15,596 | 52,905 | ||
| Type | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #43 | #103 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | cmu.edu | purdue.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $62,260 | $9,718 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $62,260 | $28,520 | ||
| Room & Board | $17,468 | $11,650 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $32,964 | $12,421 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $47,550 | $11,126 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 49% | 39% |
Admission |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 33,707 | 73,083 | ||
| Admitted | 3,843 | 36,763 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 11.4% | 50.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 44.4% | 25.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.89 | 3.67 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Elite | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Very High | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 34/35 | 27/34 | ||
| SAT Range | 1500/1570 | 1190/1460 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 1, 2026 |
Academics |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 5:1 | 14:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
| Graduation Rate | 87% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $102,700 | $61,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 91% | 78% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,250 | $21,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $271 | $222 |
Diversity |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 32% | 15% | ||
| % Women | 21% | 10% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Very High | Medium | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 32% | 65% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 8% | 4% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 4% | 2% | ||
| % International | 18% | 17% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 5% | 2% |
Students |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 9% | 46% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 71% | 44% | ||
Campus |
Carnegie Mellon | Purdue | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | Yes | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 15,596 students)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Purdue Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Purdue?
- Carnegie Mellon University is 540.7% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($62,260.00 vs. $9,718.00)
- Out of state tuition is 118.3% higher at Carnegie Mellon than Purdue University Main Campus ($62,260.00 vs. $28,520.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Carnegie Mellon ($12,421 vs. $32,964)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 49.9% lower than costs at Carnegie Mellon University ($11,650 vs. $17,468)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Carnegie Mellon University than Purdue University Main Campus (49% vs. 39%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Carnegie Mellon University students is 327.4% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($47,550 vs. $11,126)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Carnegie Mellon or Purdue? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purdue or Carnegie Mellon .
- The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 217 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
- Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Purdue (28)
- Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Purdue (3.67)
- Purdue has a higher acceptance rate (50.3%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.4%)
Carnegie Mellon vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Carnegie Mellon or Purdue? 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 Purdue and Carnegie Mellon.
- The graduation rate at Carnegie Mellon is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (87% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $41,500 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $61,200)
- Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $4,750 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,250)
- Purdue graduates are paying $49 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($222 vs. $271)
- More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/