Carnegie Mellon vs Texas at Austin - 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%, Texas at Austin admits 26.6%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 23.3% (Carnegie Mellon) against 4.5% (Texas at Austin).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Texas at Austin reports aid for international students ($21,838 on average), Carnegie Mellon does not.
The order of prices reverses once aid is counted: Carnegie Mellon starts at $88,670 against $60,460 and ends at $27,761 against $40,241 (Texas at Austin).
The indicators describe a university as a whole, and your own course can sit a long way from that average.
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 26.64% acceptance). Texas at Austin ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #45). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $75K). Texas at Austin has lower sticker-price tuition ($44,908 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 selectivity, higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate.
Choose Texas at Austin for: a higher world ranking, 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 26.64% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1395).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $75K); Carnegie Mellon has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.1% vs 88.9%).
Texas at Austin has lower sticker-price tuition ($44,908 vs $68,776); Carnegie Mellon offers a larger average aid package ($60,909 vs $20,219).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Carnegie Mellon | Texas at Austin |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #45 |
| Rank · THE | #24 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.66% | 26.64% |
| Yield rate | 45.7% | 47.4% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1395 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.89 | - |
| Number of applications | 33,941 | 72,885 |
| International students | 23.3% | 4.5% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $115K | $75K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $73K | $51K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $117K |
| Graduation rate | 94.1% | 88.9% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 96.7% |
| Median debt | $21,750 | $20,500 |
| Tuition · year | $68,776 | $44,908 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,909 | $20,219 |
| % of need met | 100% | 75% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $31,298 | $19,919 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 16,676 | 53,864 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Carnegie Mellon or Texas at Austin?
It's harder to get into Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66% of applicants, while Texas at Austin accepts 26.64%.
Do Carnegie Mellon or Texas at Austin graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $75K.
How much is tuition at Carnegie Mellon vs Texas at Austin?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon and $44,908 per year at Texas at Austin.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon or Texas at Austin?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Carnegie Mellon and 1395 at Texas at Austin; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Carnegie Mellon or Texas at Austin?
Texas at Austin ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon vs #45 for Texas at Austin.
Which university offers more financial aid - Carnegie Mellon or Texas at Austin?
The average aid package is $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon and $20,219 at Texas at Austin.
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