Vassar vs. Carnegie Mellon

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

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
Location Poughkeepsie, NY Pittsburgh, PA
Setting Large Suburban Large City
Enrollment 2,459 16,002
Type Private 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #47 #41
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website vassar.edu cmu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
Tuition (In State) $63,840 $59,864
Tuition (Out of State) $63,840 $59,864
Room & Board $16,560 $16,486
Avg Net Price $30,603 $33,499
Avg Grant Aid $50,193 $43,966
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 47%

Admission

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 11,412 34,261
Admitted 2,129 3,873
Acceptance Rate 18.7% 11.3%
Enrolled % 32% 44.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.86 3.89
Typical High School Grades A- A-
Admissions Standards Elite Elite
Applicant Competition Very High Very High
ACT Range 32/34 34/35
SAT Range 1430/1535 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 1, 2024 Jan 1, 2024

Academics

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
Student to Faculty Ratio 7:1 5:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (25%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (14%)
  • English and Literature (10%)
  • Biology (9%)
  • Foreign Languages (8%)
  • Engineering (26%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (14%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (10%)
  • Business (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
Graduation Rate 91% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $58,400 $102,700
Making Student Loan Payments 92% 91%
Median Student Loan Debt $15,780 $26,250
Median Loan Payment $163 $271

Diversity

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
% Men 38% 56%
% Women 62% 44%
Racial Diversity High Very High
HBCU No No
% White 59% 32%
% Black 5% 5%
% Hispanic 11% 8%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 6% 4%
% International 7% 18%
% Unknown Race 0% 5%

Students

Vassar Carnegie Mellon
% In-State 24% 11%
% Out-of-State 69% 69%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Carnegie Mellon University is larger than than Vassar based on total student enrollment (16,002 students vs. 2,459 students)

Vassar vs. Carnegie Mellon Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Vassar or Carnegie Mellon?

  • Vassar College is 6.6% more expensive to attend than Carnegie Mellon for in-state tuition ($63,840.00 vs. $59,864.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 6.6% higher at Vassar than Carnegie Mellon University ($63,840.00 vs. $59,864.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Vassar College than Carnegie Mellon ($30,603 vs. $33,499)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Carnegie Mellon University are 0.4% lower than costs at Vassar College ($16,486 vs. $16,560)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Vassar College than Carnegie Mellon University (57% vs. 47%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Vassar College students is 14.2% larger than aid received Carnegie Mellon University ($50,193 vs. $43,966)

Vassar vs. Carnegie Mellon Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Carnegie Mellon University (1448) is 43 points higher than at Vassar (1405)
  • Incoming Carnegie Mellon students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (33) than students at Vassar (32)
  • Accepted freshman Carnegie Mellon students have a 0.03 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at Vassar (3.86)
  • Vassar has a higher acceptance rate (18.7%) than Carnegie Mellon (11.3%)

Vassar vs. Carnegie Mellon Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Vassar 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 Vassar.

  • The graduation rate at Vassar is higher than Carnegie Mellon University (91% vs. 87%)
  • Graduates from Carnegie Mellon University earn on average $44,300 more per year than Vassar graduates after ten years. ($102,700 vs. $58,400)
  • Vassar College students graduate with a $10,470 lower median federal student loan debt than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($15,780 vs. $26,250)
  • Vassar graduates are paying $108 less per month on federal student loans than Carnegie Mellon graduates. ($163 vs. $271)
  • More Vassar graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Carnegie Mellon students, three years after graduation. (92% vs. 91%)

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