Rochester vs Carnegie Mellon - 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%, Rochester admits 40.1%.
Carnegie Mellon reports no financial aid for international students, while Rochester awards them $41,269 on average. For an applicant from outside the US that is usually the most important difference on this page.
Ten years on, graduates of Carnegie Mellon earn noticeably more: $115K against $79K.
70 points separate the SAT profiles: 1540 (Carnegie Mellon) against 1470.
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 40.08% acceptance). Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world research ranking (#151-200 vs #101-150). Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $79K). Carnegie Mellon has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,776 vs $70,284 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.
College Council Atlas analysis · IPEDS / College Scorecard CDS 2024-25, ARWU 2024.
BY THE NUMBERS
Carnegie Mellon is more selective (11.66% vs 40.08% acceptance); Carnegie Mellon has a higher median SAT (1540 vs 1470).
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn a higher median 10 years after enrollment ($115K vs $79K); Carnegie Mellon has a higher 6-year graduation rate (94.1% vs 85.4%).
Carnegie Mellon has lower sticker-price tuition ($68,776 vs $70,284); Carnegie Mellon offers a larger average aid package ($60,909 vs $60,879).
VALUE LANDSCAPE
FULL DATA TABLE
| Metric | Rochester | Carnegie Mellon |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #151-200 | #101-150 |
| Rank · THE | #127 | #24 |
| Acceptance rate | 40.08% | 11.66% |
| Yield rate | 15.4% | 45.7% |
| Median SAT | 1470 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.72 | 3.89 |
| Number of applications | 21,384 | 33,941 |
| International students | 22.1% | 23.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $79K | $115K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $50K | $73K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $117K | $183K |
| Graduation rate | 85.4% | 94.1% |
| Retention rate | 90.7% | 98% |
| Median debt | $21,000 | $21,750 |
| Tuition · year | $70,284 | $68,776 |
| Avg. aid package | $60,879 | $60,909 |
| % of need met | 96.1% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $32,304 | $31,298 |
| Application fee | $50 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 11,946 | 16,676 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Rochester or Carnegie Mellon?
It's harder to get into Carnegie Mellon. Rochester accepts 40.08% of applicants, while Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66%.
Do Rochester or Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $79K.
How much is tuition at Rochester vs Carnegie Mellon?
Sticker-price tuition is $70,284 per year at Rochester and $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon.
What SAT score do you need for Rochester or Carnegie Mellon?
The median admitted SAT score is 1470 at Rochester and 1540 at Carnegie Mellon; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Rochester or Carnegie Mellon?
Carnegie Mellon ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #151-200 for Rochester vs #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon.
Which university offers more financial aid - Rochester or Carnegie Mellon?
The average aid package is $60,879 at Rochester and $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon.
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