Carnegie Mellon vs Southern California - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
The share of international students differs sharply: 23.3% (Carnegie Mellon) against 13.2% (Southern California).
Carnegie Mellon reports no financial aid for international students, while Southern California awards them $25,384 on average. For an applicant from outside the US that is usually the most important difference on this page.
The one that looks dearer ends up cheaper: Southern California lists $89,087 against $88,670 (Carnegie Mellon), but after average aid what remains is $17,918 against $27,761.
Ten years on, graduates of Carnegie Mellon earn noticeably more: $115K against $92K.
None of these figures decides on its own; what decides is which course you want to be on, and on what budget.
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
Southern California is the more selective of the two (9.81% vs 11.66% acceptance). Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #62). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $92K). Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 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: higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate, higher retention.
Choose Southern California for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Southern California is more selective (9.81% vs 11.66% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1495).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $92K); Carnegie Mellon has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.1% vs 91.8%).
Southern California has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,687 vs $68,776); Southern California offers a larger average aid package ($71,169 vs $60,909).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Carnegie Mellon | Southern California |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #62 |
| Rank · THE | #24 | #72 |
| Acceptance rate | 11.66% | 9.81% |
| Yield rate | 45.7% | 43.3% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1495 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.89 | 3.80 |
| Number of applications | 33,941 | 82,027 |
| International students | 23.3% | 13.2% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $115K | $92K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $73K | $59K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $141K |
| Graduation rate | 94.1% | 91.8% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 95.6% |
| Median debt | $21,750 | $18,000 |
| Tuition · year | $68,776 | $68,687 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,909 | $71,169 |
| % of need met | 100% | 99.3% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $31,298 | $27,678 |
| Application fee | $75 | $85 |
| Enrollment | 16,676 | 46,566 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Carnegie Mellon or Southern California?
It's harder to get into Southern California. Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66% of applicants, while Southern California accepts 9.81%.
Do Carnegie Mellon or Southern California graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $92K.
How much is tuition at Carnegie Mellon vs Southern California?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon and $68,687 per year at Southern California.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon or Southern California?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Carnegie Mellon and 1495 at Southern California; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Carnegie Mellon or Southern California?
Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon vs #62 for Southern California.
Which university offers more financial aid - Carnegie Mellon or Southern California?
The average aid package is $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon and $71,169 at Southern California.
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