Carnegie Mellon University Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Very High |
Can I get into Carnegie Mellon University? The school has a 22% acceptance rate. Last year, 4,550 out of 20,497 applicants were admitted making Carnegie Mellon University a very highly competitive school to get into with a low chance of acceptance for typical applicants. Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 2 percent. Carnegie Mellon University typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 37% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
22% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 720 |
| SAT Math 25th | 760 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1480 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 770 |
| SAT Math 75th | 800 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1570 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Carnegie Mellon University?
Carnegie Mellon University typically requires applicants to be in the top 1 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1480 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1435. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1525 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 70 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1570 and Above | Good | >32% |
| 1525 to 1570 | Avg + | 22%-32% |
| 1480 to 1525 | Avg - | 14%-22% |
| 1435 to 1480 | Reach | 9%-14% |
| Less than 1435 | Low | <9% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 32 |
| ACT Math 25th | 32 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 32 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 35 |
| ACT Math 75th | 35 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 35 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Carnegie Mellon University?
Admission data indicates that Carnegie Mellon University regularly accepts students with ACT's of 32 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 3 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 34 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. 51 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Carnegie Mellon University.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 35 and Above | Good | >36% |
| 33 to 35 | Avg + | 22%-36% |
| 32 to 33 | Avg - | 17%-22% |
| 31 to 32 | Reach | 12%-17% |
| Less than 31 | Low | <12% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need very good grades in high school to get into Carnegie Mellon University. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Carnegie Mellon University was 3.69 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B+ students are accepted and ultimately attend. Meeting these GPA requirements alone is not enough to gain admission as Carnegie Mellon University is a very selective school.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 51% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 28% | Avg - |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 14% | Reach |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 6% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 7,762 | 12,735 | 20,497 |
| Accepted | 2,418 | 2,132 | 4,550 |
| Acceptance Rate | 31% | 17% | 22% |
| Enrolled | 857 | 819 | 1,676 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 35% | 38% | 37% |
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Carnegie Mellon University and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Recommended |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Required |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=211440 IPEDS survey data for Carnegie Mellon University.