Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn

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

Carnegie Mellon Penn
Location Pittsburgh, PA Philadelphia, PA
Setting Large City Large City
Enrollment 16,002 28,201
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #41 #23
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website cmu.edu upenn.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Carnegie Mellon Penn
Tuition (In State) $59,864 $56,212
Tuition (Out of State) $59,864 $56,212
Room & Board $16,486 $17,888
Avg Net Price $33,499 $26,123
Avg Grant Aid $43,966 $57,175
% Receiving Grant Aid 47% 46%

Admission

Carnegie Mellon Penn
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 34,261 54,588
Admitted 3,873 3,549
Acceptance Rate 11.3% 6.5%
Enrolled % 44.3% 67.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.89 3.95
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Extreme
ACT Range 34/35 34/35
SAT Range 1490/1570 1500/1570
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 5, 2024

Academics

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

Outcomes

Carnegie Mellon Penn
Graduation Rate 87% 96%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $102,700 $123,600
Making Student Loan Payments 91% 84%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,250 $20,633
Median Loan Payment $271 $213

Diversity

Carnegie Mellon Penn
% Men 56% 44%
% Women 44% 56%
Racial Diversity Very High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 32% 45%
% Black 5% 7%
% Hispanic 8% 10%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 4%
% International 18% 11%
% Unknown Race 5% 3%

Students

Carnegie Mellon Penn
% In-State 11% 16%
% Out-of-State 69% 67%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Pennsylvania is larger than than Carnegie Mellon based on total student enrollment (28,201 students vs. 16,002 students)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Carnegie Mellon or Penn?

  • Carnegie Mellon University is 6.5% more expensive to attend than Penn for in-state tuition ($59,864.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.5% higher at Carnegie Mellon than University of Pennsylvania ($59,864.00 vs. $56,212.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Pennsylvania than Carnegie Mellon ($26,123 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 8.5% lower than costs at University of Pennsylvania ($16,486 vs. $17,888)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Carnegie Mellon University than University of Pennsylvania (47% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Pennsylvania students is 30% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($57,175 vs. $43,966)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Pennsylvania (1457) is 9 points higher than at Carnegie Mellon (1448)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have at the same average ACT score (33) as students at Penn (33)
  • Accepted freshman Penn students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.95) than students at Carnegie Mellon (3.89)
  • Carnegie Mellon has a higher acceptance rate (11.3%) than Penn (6.5%)

Carnegie Mellon vs. Penn Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (96% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from University of Pennsylvania earn on average $20,900 more per year than Carnegie Mellon graduates after ten years. ($123,600 vs. $102,700)
  • University of Pennsylvania students graduate with a $5,617 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($20,633 vs. $26,250)
  • Penn graduates are paying $58 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($213 vs. $271)
  • More Carnegie Mellon graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn students, three years after graduation. (91% vs. 84%)

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