Carnegie Mellon vs Georgia - 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: Carnegie Mellon admits 11.7%, Georgia admits 37.9%.
The larger international cohort belongs to Carnegie Mellon: 23.3% of students against 1.1% (Georgia).
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Carnegie Mellon starts at $88,670 against $49,100 and ends at $27,761 against $33,752 (Georgia).
The higher median salary ten years after enrolment belongs to Carnegie Mellon: $115K against $69K.
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
Carnegie Mellon is the more selective of the two (11.66% vs 37.92% acceptance). Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #401-500). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $69K). Georgia has lower sticker-price tuition ($31,678 vs $68,776 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 selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
Choose Georgia for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Carnegie Mellon is more selective (11.66% vs 37.92% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1300).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $69K); Carnegie Mellon has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.1% vs 89.7%).
Georgia has lower sticker-price tuition ($31,678 vs $68,776); Carnegie Mellon offers a larger average aid package ($60,909 vs $15,348).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Carnegie Mellon | Georgia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #401-500 |
| Rank · THE | #24 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.66% | 37.92% |
| Yield rate | 45.7% | 38.3% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1300 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.89 | 4.15 |
| Number of applications | 33,941 | 42,436 |
| International students | 23.3% | 1.1% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $115K | $69K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $73K | $45K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $102K |
| Graduation rate | 94.1% | 89.7% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 94.3% |
| Median debt | $21,750 | $18,500 |
| Tuition · year | $68,776 | $31,678 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,909 | $15,348 |
| % of need met | 100% | 73.2% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $31,298 | $20,890 |
| Application fee | $75 | $70 |
| Enrollment | 16,676 | 43,146 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Carnegie Mellon or Georgia?
It's harder to get into Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66% of applicants, while Georgia accepts 37.92%.
Do Carnegie Mellon or Georgia graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $69K.
How much is tuition at Carnegie Mellon vs Georgia?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon and $31,678 per year at Georgia.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon or Georgia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Carnegie Mellon and 1300 at Georgia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Carnegie Mellon or Georgia?
Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon vs #401-500 for Georgia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Carnegie Mellon or Georgia?
The average aid package is $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon and $15,348 at Georgia.
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