Houston vs Carnegie Mellon - US university comparison
KEY DATA
HEAD-TO-HEAD STATISTICS
The verdict, from the data
These are two different admissions games: Carnegie Mellon admits 11.7% of applications, Houston admits 73.9%.
The share of international students differs sharply: 23.3% (Carnegie Mellon) against 5.7% (Houston).
If you are applying from outside the US, budget without institutional support where there is none: only Houston reports aid for international students ($4,456 on average), Carnegie Mellon does not.
The tuition gap is $40,850 a year: $27,926 (Houston) against $68,776.
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 73.92% acceptance). Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#201-300 vs #101-150). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $62K). Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 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 Houston for: lower tuition, lower graduate debt.
Choose Carnegie Mellon for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, higher graduate earnings.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Carnegie Mellon is more selective (11.66% vs 73.92% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1240).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $62K); Carnegie Mellon has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.1% vs 64.6%).
Houston has lower sticker-price tuition ($27,926 vs $68,776); Carnegie Mellon offers a larger average aid package ($60,909 vs $16,450).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Houston | Carnegie Mellon |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #201-300 | #101-150 |
| Rank · THE | - | #24 |
| Acceptance rate | 73.92% | 11.66% |
| Yield rate | 26.5% | 45.7% |
| Median SAT | 1240 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.49 | 3.89 |
| Number of applications | 31,716 | 33,941 |
| International students | 5.7% | 23.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $62K | $115K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $39K | $73K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $93K | $183K |
| Graduation rate | 64.6% | 94.1% |
| Retention rate | 87% | 98% |
| Median debt | $18,194 | $21,750 |
| Tuition · year | $27,926 | $68,776 |
| Avg. aid package | $16,450 | $60,909 |
| % of need met | 55.1% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $21,819 | $31,298 |
| Application fee | $75 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 47,980 | 16,676 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Houston or Carnegie Mellon?
It's harder to get into Carnegie Mellon. Houston accepts 73.92% of applicants, while Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66%.
Do Houston or Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $62K.
How much is tuition at Houston vs Carnegie Mellon?
Sticker-price tuition is $27,926 per year at Houston and $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon.
What SAT score do you need for Houston or Carnegie Mellon?
The median admitted SAT score is 1240 at Houston and 1540 at Carnegie Mellon; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Houston or Carnegie Mellon?
Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #201-300 for Houston vs #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon.
Which university offers more financial aid - Houston or Carnegie Mellon?
The average aid package is $16,450 at Houston and $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon.
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