Pittsburgh, PA · private · 7,304 undergraduates
Carnegie Mellon University acceptance rate, SAT range and net price
Carnegie Mellon admitted 11.1% of applicants for fall 2025; its computer science school requires the SAT or ACT.
Net price per year at Carnegie Mellon
$24,865
Reach · admit rate 11.1%
| Admit rate, Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029) | 11.1% (1 in 9) |
| Middle 50% of enrolled students (SAT) | 1,500 to 1,560 |
| Enrolled students scoring below you (approx.) | 1% |
| This site’s label | Reach |
| Sticker price 2026-27 | $93,614 |
| Paid by families with $75,001-$110,000 (2023-24) | $24,865 |
| Share of the sticker price | 27% |
Net price: average paid after grants by students on federal aid in that income band (2023-24), not a quote. The label is a fixed rule of this site (admit rate under 15% is a reach for everyone), not a prediction. Your exact price: Carnegie Mellon net price calculator. How this is calculated.
Admissions: Carnegie Mellon University Common Data Set 2025-2026, C1 (Pittsburgh campus; 21,054 men + 12,942 women + 871 another gender applied; 2,140 + 1,628 + 91 admitted; 1,060 + 700 + 44 enrolled full-time) · net price: College Scorecard, 2023-24 · figures checked · Built by Radif Partners · Method and data
- Admit rate, newest cycle
- 11.1%
- SAT middle 50%
- 1,500 to 1,560
- Sticker price 2026-27
- $93,614
- Net price, income $48k to $75k
- $14,468
Carnegie Mellon University admitted 3,859 of 34,867 first-year applicants for the class that entered in fall 2025, an acceptance rate of 11.1%, and 1,804 enrolled, according to its Common Data Set 2025-2026. Testing depends on the college: computer science requires the SAT or ACT, most other colleges are test-flexible and fine arts is test optional. 66% of the class sent an SAT, with a middle 50% of 1,500 to 1,560 and a math section near the maximum. The 2026-27 cost of attendance for new students is $93,614, before health insurance. Families earning under $75,000 attend tuition-free and those under $100,000 receive aid without federal loans; in 2023-24 aided families paid an average of $6,994 between $30,001 and $48,000 and $24,865 between $75,001 and $110,000.
Admission college by college
Carnegie Mellon admits students to one of its colleges, and the rules differ sharply. The School of Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT and is among the most selective programs in the country. Engineering, Dietrich College, Mellon College of Science, the Tepper School of Business and Heinz College's information systems program are test-flexible: they accept the SAT, the ACT, or exam results such as AP, IB, A-Level or the French Baccalauréat. The College of Fine Arts is test optional and judges a portfolio or an audition, with earlier deadlines for drama and music. The overall rate of 11.1% therefore mixes very different contests.
Carnegie Mellon: where your SAT score lands
Enrolled students scoring below you (approx.)
50%
| Middle 50% | 1,500 to 1,560 |
| Your score is | inside the middle 50% |
Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029), CDS 2025-2026, C9 (1,182 SAT submitters, 327 ACT submitters). Normal curve fitted to the two published percentiles.
Early Decision and a waiting list that rarely moves
CMU has one binding Early Decision round on November 2, not available for drama, music or the BXA design programs. For fall 2025 it admitted 553 of 2,680 Early Decision applicants, about one in five, roughly twice the overall rate. Its waiting list is the opposite of a second chance: thousands accepted a place on it for fall 2025, and only a few dozen were admitted. A student who wants CMU should treat Early Decision as the main door.
Aid thresholds and the budget
CMU commits to meeting 100% of demonstrated need for domestic students. Families earning less than $75,000 attend tuition-free, and those under $100,000 receive aid with no federal loans. The federal averages for 2023-24 were $9,097 under $30,000 and $51,480 above $110,000. The 2026-27 budget of $93,614 includes tuition of $69,702 and $19,650 for housing and food; all first-years live on campus, and health insurance is billed unless waived.
Carnegie Mellon: net price for your family income
Average net price, 2023-24
$14,468
| Income band | $48,001-$75,000 |
| Share of the 2023-24 cost | 17% |
Federal figure for first-year students on federal aid.
Outcomes and comparisons
The College Scorecard puts the median earnings of CMU students ten years after entry at $114,862, one of the highest figures among the universities on this site, driven by computing and engineering. Students admitted to CMU often also hold offers from MIT, Georgia Tech and Cornell; for a Pennsylvanian, Pitt and Penn State offer in-state prices.
From Carnegie Mellon University’s own documents
- Testing depends on the college: Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT, most other colleges require some test (SAT, ACT, IB, AP, A-Level or French Bac), and Fine Arts is test optional with portfolio or audition. source
- Early Decision admitted 553 of 2,680 applicants for fall 2025 (about 21%), against 3,859 of 34,867 overall (about 11%). source
- 7,117 applicants were offered a waitlist place for fall 2025 and 4,937 accepted it, but only 36 were admitted from it. source
- Families earning under $75,000 pay no tuition, and aid for families under $100,000 contains no federal loans. source
- First-years entering in fall 2026 face a cost of attendance of $93,614 (tuition $69,702, or $969 per unit), plus $3,093 health insurance unless waived; all first-years must live on campus. source
Net price at Carnegie Mellon University by family income
| Family income | Average net price 2023-24 | Share of the 2023-24 cost |
|---|---|---|
| $0-$30,000 | $9,097 | 11% |
| $30,001-$48,000 | $6,994 | 8% |
| $48,001-$75,000 | $14,468 | 17% |
| $75,001-$110,000 | $24,865 | 30% |
| $110,001 and up | $51,480 | 62% |
| All aided students | $31,944 | 38% |
Cost of attendance at Carnegie Mellon University, 2026-27
| Item | Amount | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $69,702 | |
| Fees | $1,862 | |
| Housing and food | $19,650 | |
| Books and supplies | $1,000 | |
| Personal | $1,300 | |
| Total | $93,614 |
Carnegie Mellon University admissions by cycle
| Entering class | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled | Admit rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029) | 34,867 | 3,859 | 1,804 | 11.1% |
| Fall 2024 (federal IPEDS figure) | n/a | n/a | n/a | 11.7% |
SAT and ACT scores at Carnegie Mellon University
| Score | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAT total (Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029), CDS 2025-2026, C9 (1,182 SAT submitters, 327 ACT submitters)) | 1,500 | 1,540 | 1,560 |
| ACT composite (Fall 2025 entering class (Class of 2029) (CDS 2025-2026, C9 (1,182 SAT submitters, 327 ACT submitters))) | 34 | 35 | 36 |
| SAT sections, fall 2024 (Scorecard) | 730 + 770 | n/a | 770 + 800 |
Outcomes at Carnegie Mellon University
| Measure | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Graduated within 6 years | 94% | fall 2018 entering cohort |
| Returned for a second year | 98% | fall 2023 entering cohort |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $114,862 | measured 2020-2021, 10 years after entry, 2022 dollars |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $21,750 | students who finished in 2019-20 and 2020-21 |
| Undergraduates | 7,304 | fall 2024 |
| Students with a Pell Grant | 16% | 2023-24 |