Carnegie Mellon vs West Virginia - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
West Virginia accepts most of the applications it receives (89%), while Carnegie Mellon turns away the overwhelming majority (11.7%).
The share of international students differs sharply: 23.3% (Carnegie Mellon) against 1.7% (West Virginia).
Carnegie Mellon reports no financial aid for international students, while West Virginia awards them $21,636 on average. For an applicant from outside the US that is usually the most important difference on this page.
The cheaper tuition belongs to West Virginia: $28,608 against $68,776, or $40,168 less a year.
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
Carnegie Mellon is the more selective of the two (11.66% vs 89% acceptance). Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#101-150 vs #501-600). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $56K). West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 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 West Virginia for: lower tuition.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Carnegie Mellon is more selective (11.66% vs 89% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1110).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $56K); Carnegie Mellon has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.1% vs 64.7%).
West Virginia has lower sticker-price tuition ($28,608 vs $68,776); Carnegie Mellon offers a larger average aid package ($60,909 vs $16,730).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Carnegie Mellon | West Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #101-150 | #501-600 |
| Rank · THE | #24 | - |
| Acceptance rate | 11.66% | 89% |
| Yield rate | 45.7% | 26.5% |
| Median SAT | 1540 | 1110 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.89 | 3.70 |
| Number of applications | 33,941 | 20,150 |
| International students | 23.3% | 1.7% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $115K | $56K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $73K | $36K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $183K | $84K |
| Graduation rate | 94.1% | 64.7% |
| Retention rate | 98% | 83.4% |
| Median debt | $21,750 | $22,500 |
| Tuition · year | $68,776 | $28,608 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,909 | $16,730 |
| % of need met | 100% | 63% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $31,298 | $36,010 |
| Application fee | $75 | $65 |
| Enrollment | 16,676 | 23,643 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Carnegie Mellon or West Virginia?
It's harder to get into Carnegie Mellon. Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66% of applicants, while West Virginia accepts 89%.
Do Carnegie Mellon or West Virginia graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $56K.
How much is tuition at Carnegie Mellon vs West Virginia?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon and $28,608 per year at West Virginia.
What SAT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon or West Virginia?
The median admitted SAT score is 1540 at Carnegie Mellon and 1110 at West Virginia; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Carnegie Mellon or West Virginia?
Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon vs #501-600 for West Virginia.
Which university offers more financial aid - Carnegie Mellon or West Virginia?
The average aid package is $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon and $16,730 at West Virginia.
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