Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, celebrated for fusing technical depth with the arts — home to a top-ranked School of Computer Science and College of Engineering alongside an internationally renowned College of Fine Arts. Admission is highly competitive: CMU admitted about 11.1% of nearly 35,000 applicants for its most recent class, and enrolled first-years posted middle-50% SAT scores of 1500–1560 and an average high school GPA near 3.89. Engineering and computer science together account for roughly four in ten bachelor's degrees, and CMU meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for admitted students.
See how Carnegie Mellon compares
Pick up to two rivals — or search any school.
Carnegie Mellon admissions statistics
Acceptance rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early decision
Carnegie Mellon offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Admit rate by application plan
% admitted~2.0× higher admit rate applying early.
Standardized tests
Carnegie Mellon is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Carnegie Mellon supplemental essays — 2026-2027 cycle
Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that's developed over time – what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study? (300 word maximum)
Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience? (300 word maximum)
Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee's consideration? Highlight something that's important to you or something you haven't had a chance to share. Tell us, don't show us (no websites please). (300 word maximum)
Writing your Carnegie Mellon application essay?
Paste your draft and get specific, line-by-line feedback on what is and isn't landing — scored against the rubrics admissions readers use.
Class rank
Where Carnegie Mellon's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 19% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Carnegie Mellon does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions factors
How Carnegie Mellon weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Carnegie Mellon's Common Data Set.
Private universities charge the same tuition regardless of state residency.
Financial aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Frequently asked questions about Carnegie Mellon admissions
Yes, Carnegie Mellon is highly selective, admitting about 11.1% of applicants in the most recent cycle, roughly 3,859 offers out of nearly 35,000 applications, with about 1,804 first-years enrolling. With academic GPA, class rank, the rigor of your course load, extracurriculars, and personal qualities all weighed as very important, the bar is set high across the whole application.
There is no hard GPA cutoff, but admitted first-years average about a 3.89 high school GPA, and the class clusters at the very top of its cohort, with roughly 83% of students who reported a class rank placing in the top tenth of their graduating class. Carnegie Mellon weighs academic GPA, class rank, and the rigor of your course load all as very important factors.
No, Carnegie Mellon is test-optional, so you can apply without submitting scores. Standardized test scores are only 'considered' in the review rather than required, and among enrolled students who did submit, the middle 50% scored 1500-1560 on the SAT and 34-36 on the ACT.
A 1500 is right at the edge of the competitive range: the middle 50% of enrolled first-years scored 1500-1560 on the SAT, so a 1500 lands exactly on the 25th percentile. Because Carnegie Mellon is test-optional and treats scores as only 'considered,' a score at the bottom of that band is not disqualifying, especially if the rest of your application is strong.
Carnegie Mellon offers a binding Early Decision plan, and in the most recent cycle it received 2,680 ED applications and admitted 553 students, an ED admit rate of about 21% versus the 11.1% overall rate. ED offers a modest statistical edge, but it commits you to enroll if admitted, so apply early only if CMU is your clear first choice.
Tuition and required fees run about $68,776 per year, with the total cost of attendance higher once on-campus housing and food (about $18,894) are added. Carnegie Mellon meets 100% of demonstrated financial need; roughly 33% of first-years receive need-based scholarship or grant aid, with an average need-based award near $56,222.
Yes, Carnegie Mellon rates the application essay as an important factor in its holistic review, ranking it above standardized test scores, which are only 'considered.' With an 11.1% acceptance rate, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the clearest ways to stand out, especially alongside the extracurriculars and personal qualities CMU weighs as very important.
Esslo gives free line-by-line feedback on your draft. Try it now
Engineering is the single most popular area at about 22% of bachelor's degrees, followed closely by computer science at 16%. Business, interdisciplinary studies, mathematics and statistics, and the fine and performing arts round out the most-conferred fields, reflecting CMU's signature blend of technical and creative programs.
Popular majors
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student-faculty ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by gender
Student diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Source: Carnegie Mellon University Common Data Set 2025-2026. Figures transcribed 2026-08-20. Top Major Area, Out-of-State Students, % Receiving Need-Based Aid, Avg. Aid Package, Avg. % Need Met, First-Years On Campus, % in Fraternities, and % in Sororities are from the 2024-2025 edition. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Carnegie Mellon. Banner photo by Dllu, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Cite this page as: Esslo College Explorer, “Carnegie Mellon University admissions statistics, transcribed from the 2025-2026 Common Data Set,” https://www.esslo.org/colleges/carnegie-mellon (retrieved 2026-08-20).