UnisHub University Compass

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) : Overview, Courses, Scholarships & Rankings

0 · 0 reviews

About Carnegie Mellon University

Known for blending tech-forward rigor with art-school imagination, Carnegie Mellon sits near city parks and museums, giving students a campus that feels plugged into Pittsburgh. Academic strengths span computing, engineering, arts and design, the sciences, and public policy, with a reputation for project-based work and close advising. Facilities include labs, studios, maker spaces, and libraries, plus tutoring, counseling, and a career center that supports research and internships.

Student life ranges from hackathons and theater productions to club sports and afternoons in Schenley Park. The culture skews collaborative, curious, a little quirky, and very hands-on. Traditions like the painted Fence and spring Buggy races give the place a distinct voice. Students often connect with employers on campus, and the city offers projects with hospitals, studios, and startups. Notable alumni include Andy Warhol, Holly Hunter, and Zachary Quinto.

Key Institutional Details

Contact & Profile

Location
5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15213, USA
Website
cmu.edu
Unit ID
211440

Academic & Institutional

Control
Private non-profit institution (tuition + donations)
Accreditation
MSCHE
Length of Study
Programs under 2 years (e.g. certificate or diploma)
Calendar System
Semester system (two main terms per year)
Award Levels
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Post-Master's
Doctorate (R)
Campus Setting
Located in a large city (population of 250,000 or more)
Carnegie Classification
Doctoral - R1 (Very High Research)
Tuition & Fees
In-State
$63,274
Tuition $62,260 + Fee $1,014
Out-of-State
$63,274
Tuition $62,260 + Fee $1,014
Student Profile
Total Students 15,596
Undergraduate 7,187
Graduate/Other 8,409
Male: 8,708 Female: 6,888
Applications
Total Applicants 33,707
Admitted 3,843
Enrolled 1,708
Acceptance: 11.4% Yield: 44.4%
Staff
Total Staff 6,271
Full-time 5,538
Part-time 733
Full-time: 88.3% Part-time: 11.7%

Academic Programs & Fields of Study

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) offers 127 degree programs across 21 major academic fields, graduating approximately 5,981 students annually. The most popular fields by graduate volume are Computer & IT (10 programs, 1,723 graduates), Engineering (17 programs, 1,683 graduates), Business (5 programs, 505 graduates), Interdisciplinary (12 programs, 462 graduates) and Mathematics (8 programs, 401 graduates). Explore program details, award levels, and graduate demographics below.

Computer & IT (10 programs, 1,723 graduates)
Computer Science, Information Technology and Cybersecurity
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Information Technology 697
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
11.0103
Computer Science 370
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
11.0701
Artificial Intelligence 234
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
11.0102
Information Systems Security and Auditing 108
Master's
11.1003
Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications 73
Master's
11.0901
Computer Graphics 67
Master's
11.0803
Computer and Information Technology Administration and Management 65
Master's
11.1099
IT Project Management 50
Master's
11.1005
Computer and Information Sciences, Other 49
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
11.0199
Human-Centered Technology Design 10
Master's
11.0105
Engineering (17 programs, 1,683 graduates)
Engineering Sciences and Applied Technology Solutions
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Electrical and Electronics Engineering 556
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.1001
Mechanical Engineering 293
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.1901
Software Engineering 237
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0903
Mechatronics and Robotics Engineering 148
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.4201
Biomedical Engineering 120
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0501
Chemical Engineering 97
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0701
Civil Engineering 77
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0801
Engineering 44
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.9999
General Engineering 41
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.0101
Engineering Science 13
Master's
14.1301
Environmental Health Engineering 12
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
14.1401
Biological and Biosystems Engineering 11
Master's
14.4501
Operations Research 9
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.3701
Chemical Engineering 8
Master's
14.0799
Engineering Mechanics 8
Master's
Doctorate (R)
14.1101
Civil Engineering 7
Master's
14.0899
Computer Engineering 2
Master's
14.0999
Business (5 programs, 505 graduates)
Business Administration, Marketing and Entrepreneurship
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Management Science 304
Master's
52.1301
Business Administration and Management 190
Bachelor's
Postbac Cert.
Post-Master's
52.0201
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods 8
Master's
Doctorate (R)
52.1399
Management Information Systems 2
Master's
52.1201
Business Administration and Management 1
Bachelor's
52.0299
Interdisciplinary (12 programs, 462 graduates)
Cross-Disciplinary Studies and Integrated Research Programs
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Systems Science and Theory 153
Bachelor's
30.0601
Computational Science 108
Postbac Cert.
Master's
30.3001
Data Analytics 67
Master's
Doctorate (R)
30.7199
Human-Computer Interaction 37
Master's
30.3101
Data Analytics 20
Master's
30.7101
Sustainability Studies 18
Master's
30.3301
Data Science 17
Master's
30.7001
Data Visualization 17
Master's
30.7103
Cognitive Science 15
Bachelor's
30.2501
Biopsychology 6
Bachelor's
30.1001
Behavioral Sciences 2
Master's
30.1701
Global Studies 2
Bachelor's
30.2001
Mathematics (8 programs, 401 graduates)
Mathematical Sciences, Statistics and Computational Analysis
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Statistics 182
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
27.0501
Financial Mathematics 104
Bachelor's
Master's
27.0305
Mathematics 50
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
27.0101
Computational Mathematics 31
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
27.0303
Mathematics and Statistics 27
Bachelor's
27.9999
Mathematical Statistics and Probability 4
Bachelor's
27.0502
Statistics 2
Bachelor's
27.0599
Applied Mathematics 1
Bachelor's
27.0304
Arts (20 programs, 314 graduates)
Fine Arts, Design Studies and Creative Performance
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Theatre Arts 44
Bachelor's
50.0501
Design and Visual Communications 43
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
50.0401
Music 37
Postbac Cert.
50.0901
Art Studies 27
Bachelor's
Master's
50.0701
Theatre Arts Management 24
Master's
50.1004
Music Performance 23
Bachelor's
Master's
50.0903
Arts and Media Management 19
Bachelor's
Master's
50.1001
Voice and Opera Performance 17
Bachelor's
Master's
50.0908
Theatre Arts and Stagecraft 15
Master's
50.0599
Stringed Instruments 13
Bachelor's
Master's
50.0911
Music Technology 10
Bachelor's
Master's
50.0913
Playwriting and Screenwriting 9
Master's
50.0504
Theatre Directing and Production 8
Master's
50.0507
Music Theory and Composition 8
Bachelor's
Master's
50.0904
Film and Media Studies 7
Bachelor's
50.0601
Costume Design 3
Master's
50.0510
Music Pedagogy 3
Master's
50.0912
Digital Arts 2
Master's
50.0102
Game and Interactive Media Design 1
Bachelor's
50.0411
Fine Arts and Art Studies 1
Bachelor's
50.0799
Physical Sciences (8 programs, 185 graduates)
Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences Research
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Materials Science 85
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
40.1001
Chemistry 44
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
40.0501
Physics 33
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
40.0801
Astrophysics 7
Bachelor's
40.0202
Theoretical Physics 6
Bachelor's
40.0810
Materials Sciences 5
Master's
40.1099
Chemistry 4
Bachelor's
40.0599
Physics 1
Bachelor's
40.0899
Eng. Technologies (5 programs, 179 graduates)
Applied Engineering Technologies and Technical Support
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Engineering Design 146
Postbac Cert.
Master's
15.1502
Industrial Engineering Management 19
Master's
Doctorate (R)
15.1501
CAD and CADD Drafting and Design Technology 10
Master's
Doctorate (R)
15.1302
Applied Engineering Technology 3
Bachelor's
15.0001
Engineering-Related Fields 1
Master's
15.1599
Biological Sciences (10 programs, 147 graduates)
Life Sciences, Biotechnology and Biomedical Research
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Biometry and Biometrics 39
Master's
26.1101
Biology and Biological Sciences 28
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.0101
Neuroscience 23
Bachelor's
Doctorate (R)
26.1501
Computational Biology 22
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
26.1104
Bioinformatics 15
Master's
26.1103
Biotechnology 11
Master's
26.1201
Neurobiology and Neurosciences 4
Doctorate (R)
26.1599
Neurobiology and Anatomy 3
Doctorate (R)
26.1503
Biophysics 1
Bachelor's
26.0203
Biomechanics 1
Bachelor's
26.0913
Architecture (2 programs, 84 graduates)
Architectural Design and Construction Planning Services
Program Name Graduates Gender Distribution Award Levels CIP Code
Architectural and Building Sciences 69
Bachelor's
Master's
Doctorate (R)
04.0902
Architecture 15
Bachelor's
04.0201

Admission Requirements & Test Scores

Comprehensive overview of admission criteria, standardized test score ranges, and application requirements for prospective students at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

Application Requirements

Secondary School GPA
Required
Secondary School Record
Required
College Preparatory Program
Required
Recommendations
Required
Formal Demonstration of Competencies
Required
English Proficiency Test (TOEFL)
Required
Personal Statement or Essay
Required
Standardized Test Scores
SAT Scores
The SAT is a standardized college admission test measuring reading, writing, and math skills. Scores range from 400-1600 (combined Evidence-Based Reading & Writing + Math sections).
Composite Score Range
1500 - 1570
25th-75th percentile
Evidence-Based Reading & Writing 730 - 770
Median: 750
Math 770 - 800
Median: 790
ACT Scores
The ACT is a standardized test for college admissions assessing English, math, reading, and science reasoning. Scores range from 1-36 (composite of all sections).
Composite Score Range
34 - 35
25th-75th percentile
English 34 - 35
Median: 35
Math 33 - 36
Median: 35

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Test score ranges represent the middle 50% of admitted students (25th-75th percentile). Requirements may vary by program.

Tuition, Fees & Estimated Costs

Overview of tuition rates, housing, and other annual education expenses for undergraduate and graduate students

Estimated Total Cost
(In-state)
$83,142
Estimated Total Cost
(Out-state)
$83,142
In-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$63,274
Tuition and fees for students residing in-state
Out-of-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$63,274
Tuition and fees for non-resident students
Room & Board
$17,468 (on) / $15,658 (off)
Housing and meal plan expenses
Books & Supplies
$1,000
Average yearly cost of books and study materials
Other Expenses
$1,400
Miscellaneous personal and institutional expenses
Other Expenses (with family)
$2,080
Estimated cost for students living with family
Graduate In-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$49,450
Graduate tuition rates for in-state students
Graduate Out-of-state Tuition (incl. fees)
$49,450
Graduate tuition rates for non-resident students

Financial Aid & Student Support

Summary of scholarships, grants, student loans, and financial aid statistics for undergraduate students

24%
FTFT Aid Recipients
Avg. Grant
$47,550
Avg. Loan
$6,883
Avg. Federal Loan
$3,698
Additional
Students with Any Grant
837
Students who received any type of grant aid
Students with Any Loan
619
Students who received any type of loan-based aid
Students with Federal Grant
294
Students who received a federal grant
Avg. Institutional Grant
$44,936
Average amount of institutional grant awarded

Student Success Metrics

Graduation rates and post-graduation earnings to help assess student outcomes and long-term value of education.

93%
Graduation Rate
Percentage of students who successfully graduate from the institution
97%
First-Year Retention Rate
Percentage of first-year students who continue for a second year
Median Earnings Over Time
$72,560 – $182,769
Salary Range (25th–75th Percentile, 10 Years)
$72,560 (25th %) $182,769 (75th %)
*Median Salary After 10 Years: $114,862
Median Salary After 6 Years
$105,360
Average annual earnings of former students six years after starting college.
Median Salary After 10 Years
$114,862
Average annual earnings of former students ten years after starting college.

Loan Burden & Repayment Outcomes

Breakdown of loan repayment rates and student debt levels by income and dependency status.

3-Year Loan Repayment Rate
91.2%
Share of borrowers who repaid loans within 3 years
Repayment Rate (Graduates Only)
95.0%
Repayment rate among students who completed their program
Median Student Loan Debt
$21,750
Median federal loan debt of undergraduate completers at time of graduation.
Repayment by Income
Low 85.8%
Middle 89.9%
High 93.0%
Repayment by Dependency

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)

How much does it cost to attend Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)?

The annual tuition at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is $63,274 for in-state students. When including room and board, books, and other expenses, the total estimated cost is approximately $83,142 for in-state students. Additional costs include room and board $17,468 (on) / $15,658 (off) and books and supplies $1,000.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2022-2023 academic year. Tuition and cost estimates are approximate and may not include all fees, personal expenses, or transportation costs.

What academic programs and degree levels does Carnegie Mellon University offer?

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) offers 127 academic programs across 21 major fields of study, with available degree levels: Bachelor's, Postbac Cert., Master's, Post-Master's, Doctorate (Research).

Most popular program areas include:

  • Computer Science, Information Technology and Cybersecurity (10 programs)
  • Engineering Sciences and Applied Technology Solutions (17 programs)
  • Business Administration, Marketing and Entrepreneurship (5 programs)
  • Cross-Disciplinary Studies and Integrated Research Programs (12 programs)
  • Mathematical Sciences, Statistics and Computational Analysis (8 programs)

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated, not all offered programs.

What is the acceptance rate for Carnegie Mellon University?

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has an 11.4% acceptance rate and a 44.4% yield rate, making it highly selective.

Admission statistics breakdown:

  • Total applicants: 33,707
  • Students admitted: 3,843
  • Students enrolled: 1,708

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Admission statistics may vary by program and application cycle.

What financial aid and scholarships are available at Carnegie Mellon University?

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) provides financial aid to 24% of first-time, full-time students, with average grants of $47,550 and average loans of $6,883.

Average financial aid amounts by type:

  • Pell grants: $5,934
  • State/Local grants: $3,644
  • Institutional grants: $44,936
  • Federal loans: $3,698

The university supports 837 students with grants and 619 students with loans annually.

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Financial aid amounts and percentages may vary by program, enrollment status, and individual circumstances.

What is the average salary for Carnegie Mellon University graduates?

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) graduates earn a median salary of $105,360 after 6 years and $114,862 after 10 years.

The salary range 10 years after graduation spans from $72,560 (25th percentile) to $182,769 (75th percentile).

Data based on IPEDS for 2022-2023 academic year. Salary data reflects graduates who received federal financial aid (approximately 60% of all graduates). Actual earnings may vary significantly based on program, location, and individual circumstances.

Campus map for Cedar Crest College
Cedar Crest College
100 College Drive, Allentown, PA 18104-6196
View Profile
Campus map for Central Penn College
Central Penn College
600 Valley Road, Summerdale, PA 17093-0309
View Profile
Campus map for Chatham University
Chatham University
Woodland Road, Office of Institutional Research, Pittsburgh, PA 15232
View Profile
Campus map for Chestnut Hill College
Chestnut Hill College
9601 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19118-2693
View Profile
Found this helpful? Share it!

Found something useful? Help others discover it too! Share with friends, on social media, or save for later - every share helps someone find the information they need.