Carnegie Mellon vs Dartmouth - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
A place is harder to win where the bar sits higher: Dartmouth admits 6%, Carnegie Mellon admits 11.7%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 23.3% (Carnegie Mellon) against 14.5% (Dartmouth).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Dartmouth reports aid for international students ($87,562 on average), Carnegie Mellon does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Dartmouth starts at $96,098 against $88,670 and ends at $20,797 against $27,761 (Carnegie Mellon).
These numbers describe the cohorts already enrolled, not your chances; treat them as a starting point rather than a forecast.
Every sentence above comes from a field we hold in canonical. Where the data is missing, or the gap is small enough to be noise, the sentence simply does not appear.
EXPERT TAKE
Dartmouth is the more selective of the two (6.02% vs 11.66% acceptance). Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #301-400). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $97K). Carnegie Mellon has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,776 vs $71,525 per year).
Both universities have complete, comparable data in canonical - the choice should come down to fit (campus culture, major, aid package) alongside the differences visible in the numbers below.
Choose Carnegie Mellon for: a higher world ranking, higher graduate earnings, lower tuition.
Choose Dartmouth for: higher selectivity, a higher graduation rate, a larger aid package.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dartmouth is more selective (6.02% vs 11.66% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1520).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $97K); Dartmouth has a higher 6-year graduation rate (95.5% vs 94.1%).
Carnegie Mellon has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,776 vs $71,525); Dartmouth offers a larger average aid package ($75,301 vs $60,909).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Carnegie Mellon | Dartmouth |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #301-400 |
| Rank · THE | #24 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.66% | 6.02% |
| Yield rate | 45.7% | 70.9% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1520 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.89 | - |
| Number of applications | 33,941 | 28,230 |
| International students | 23.3% | 14.5% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $115K | $97K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $73K | $65K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $189K |
| Graduation rate | 94.1% | 95.5% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 98% |
| Median debt | $21,750 | $17,500 |
| Tuition · year | $68,776 | $71,525 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,909 | $75,301 |
| % of need met | 100% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $31,298 | $24,255 |
| Application fee | $75 | - |
| Enrollment | 16,676 | 7,273 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Carnegie Mellon or Dartmouth?
It's harder to get into Dartmouth. Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66% of applicants, while Dartmouth accepts 6.02%.
Do Carnegie Mellon or Dartmouth graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $97K.
How much is tuition at Carnegie Mellon vs Dartmouth?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon and $71,525 per year at Dartmouth.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon or Dartmouth?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Carnegie Mellon and 1520 at Dartmouth; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Carnegie Mellon or Dartmouth?
Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon vs #301-400 for Dartmouth.
Which university offers more financial aid - Carnegie Mellon or Dartmouth?
The average aid package is $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon and $75,301 at Dartmouth.
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