Southern California vs Carnegie Mellon - 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 (#62 vs #101-150). 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 Southern California for: a higher world ranking, higher selectivity, lower tuition.
Choose Carnegie Mellon for: higher graduate earnings, a higher graduation rate, higher retention.
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 | Southern California | Carnegie Mellon |
|---|---|---|
| World rank · ARWU | #62 | #101-150 |
| Rank · THE | #72 | #24 |
| Acceptance rate | 9.81% | 11.66% |
| Yield rate | 43.3% | 45.7% |
| Median SAT | 1495 | 1540 |
| Avg. GPA | 3.80 | 3.89 |
| Number of applications | 82,027 | 33,941 |
| International students | 13.2% | 23.3% |
| Median earnings · 10 yrs | $92K | $115K |
| Bottom 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $59K | $73K |
| Top 25% earnings · 10 yrs | $141K | $183K |
| Graduation rate | 91.8% | 94.1% |
| Retention rate | 95.6% | 98% |
| Median debt | $18,000 | $21,750 |
| Tuition · year | $68,687 | $68,776 |
| Avg. aid package | $71,169 | $60,909 |
| % of need met | 99.3% | 100% |
| Avg. graduate debt | $27,678 | $31,298 |
| Application fee | $85 | $75 |
| Enrollment | 46,566 | 16,676 |
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is it harder to get into Southern California or Carnegie Mellon?
It's harder to get into Southern California. Southern California accepts 9.81% of applicants, while Carnegie Mellon accepts 11.66%.
Do Southern California or Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more?
Carnegie Mellon graduates earn more: the median 10 years after enrollment is $115K vs $92K.
How much is tuition at Southern California vs Carnegie Mellon?
Sticker-price tuition is $68,687 per year at Southern California and $68,776 per year at Carnegie Mellon.
What SAT score do you need for Southern California or Carnegie Mellon?
The median admitted SAT score is 1495 at Southern California and 1540 at Carnegie Mellon; aim for these values or higher to be competitive.
Which university ranks higher - Southern California or Carnegie Mellon?
Southern California ranks higher in the ARWU world ranking: #62 for Southern California vs #101-150 for Carnegie Mellon.
Which university offers more financial aid - Southern California or Carnegie Mellon?
The average aid package is $71,169 at Southern California and $60,909 at Carnegie Mellon.
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