Highlights:
- Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is ranked the best in the world for Computer Science by US News and World Reports for 2024-25 and second by QS Computer Science rankings 2024.
- It has an acceptance rate of around 13.5%. Applicants need a strong academic and extracurricular profile, including a high GPA of over 3.8, IELTS 7.5, and well-rounded activities.
- The annual cost to attend this university ranges from 60,000 to 84,412 USD. Graduates earn high salaries, with Computer Science graduates earning an average of 120,000 USD per year.
- Option to choose from over 157 undergraduate programs and over 55 master's programs across various fields including Computer Science, Information Systems, Business, and Engineering.
- CMU's campus features extensive facilities and student activities, including museums, concert venues, and over 400 student-run organizations. It offers various housing options and strong campus safety measures.
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, ranked as the 2nd best in the QS Computer Science rankings 2024. With an overall acceptance rate of 13.5%, it is among the top 100 global universities as per QS and Times Higher Education (THE).
If you are an average student from India, applying for CMU admissions, there must be something unique about your resume, GPA, class rank, GRE/ GMAT/ SAT or others. The university accepts students who have excellent academic and social profiles, including involvement in extracurriculars. For example, if you have 3.8 GPA, 7.5 in IELTS or 102 in TOEFL iBT, 1400+ in SAT, strong LOR, well-written personal essay and impressive extracurricular, you are well ahead of the other applicants.
Being one of the top universities in USA, Carnegie Mellon University's cost is on the higher side. The annual cost of attendance is within the range of 60,000 to 84,412 USD, depending on your study level. Is it worth the investment? You are pretty much guaranteed a spot at a top tech company if you come to this university. Moreover, CMU graduates reportedly earn around 108,000 USD per year, which is almost the double of the average salary in USA i.e. 59,482 USD. It is even more for computer science graduates (120,000 USD per year).
Carnegie Mellon University Courses and Fees
Carnegie Mellon University offers 157 undergraduate programs and over 55 master degree programs across 7 schools and colleges. The university offers nearly 20 doctoral courses and several dual-degree programs. The flagship programs of this university are:
- Computer Science
- Information System
- Business
- Industrial Management
- Mechanical engineering
- Architecture
- Electrical Engineering
- Music
- Design
- Drama and theater
Here, we have added a few popular courses offered by CMU with its annual tuition fees for your reference.
Carnegie Mellon University Admissions
As of last Fall intake, CMU has a total of 16,335 students, out of which approximately 1400 are Indians. This university offers two application plans: early decision and regular decision. Carnegie Mellon University admissions deadlines are:
- Early decision:
- Deadline: November 1, 2024
- Decision by: December 15, 2024
- Regular decision:
- Deadline: January 2, 2025. December 1, 2024 for Schools of Drama and Music.
- Decision by: April 1, 2025
You need to apply via the Common App for admission to this university. For each undergraduate application, a 75 USD application fee is required. Graduate programs have an application fee of 80-100 USD, depending on your chosen program. Check out the requirements you need to have for Carnegie Mellon University degrees.
Carnegie Mellon University Campus
CMU campus is spread over 140 acres of urban setting. It is 3 miles away from downtown Pittsburgh. The university offers free bus passes that can be used to travel around the area. Few key pointers of the Pittsburgh campus are detailed below
- The campus has 32 world-class museums, 30 concert venues, and over 1,500 performances.
- There are over 400 student-run organizations across a variety of interests like media, sports, academic, political, artistic, technology, fraternities and sororities among others.
- All students of the university engage in campus events and activities like Spring Carnival, Greek Sing, Scotty Saturday, and the Late Night program.
- The campus provides great facilities for students including studios, labs, libraries, spacious classrooms, parking, and transportation among others
- Safe campus with an on-campus police department.
Carnegie Mellon University Cost of Attendance
After the tuition fees, the cost of living in USA is the major part of your expenses while studying abroad. Carnegie Mellon offers a wide variety of housing options, including traditional residence halls, apartments, suite-style living, and full houses. Some residences are designated for first-year students, some are primarily upper-class, and others are a mix of first-year and upper-class students. The annual rent for these accommodations ranges from 9,690 USD to 15,082 USD. The rent covers the following
- Bed with 39" x 80" mattress and mattress protector
- Desk and chair
- Closet or wardrobe
- Dresser
- Safety rails and ladders for a bunked bed
- Window coverings
- High speed network/ Internet
- Streaming or wired TV
- Room maintenance
- Utilities
Carnegie Mellon University Financial Aid
Carnegie Mellon University does not offer any scholarships to international undergraduate students. However, masters and PhD students can get some departmental funding for up to 12 months. You need to contact your respective department for the same. Here, we have added a departmental funding/ stipend table for the potential PhD students.
| Department | Annual Stipend |
|---|---|
| Biomedical Engineering | 31,375 USD |
| Civil and Environmental Engineering | 30,750 USD |
| Chemical Engineering | 32,000 USD |
| Electrical and Computer Engineering | 36,720 USD |
| Engineering Public Policy | 30,840 USD |
| Material Science and Engineering | 31,200 USD |
| Mechanical Engineering | 31,020 USD |
Other funding options are as follows
- Co-op programs:
- Up to 4,500 USD per month for Computer Science undergraduates
- Other co-op programs allow you to earn 25-35 USD per hour
- On campus jobs can earn you 12-15 USD per hour
- Research Assistantships
- Approaching professors after 1st semester with ‘A’ grade
- Earn a median salary of 15-25 USD per hour
Carnegie Mellon University Placements
According to the Career & Professional Development Center at Carnegie Mellon University, about 61% of graduates secured employment after graduation. 30% of the graduates are continuing education, while 8% reported seeking employment. Nearly 400 startups related to CMU raised over 7 billion USD in follow-on funding, over the past 10 years. CMU graduates doing jobs in USA are placed among the top recruiters like:
- Walmart
- PPG Industries
- Leidos
- Capital One Financial Corporation
- Deloitte
- Nvidia Corporation
The salaries of Carnegie Mellon University graduates according to their job roles are provided below
Carnegie Mellon University rankings suggest it is one of the top universities in the world. The alumni community of CMU consists of over 109,900 graduates representing 140+ countries. Some of the Carnegie Mellon University notable alumni include Andy Warhol, Ted Danson, Vinod Khosla among others.
FAQs
Ques: Is Carnegie Mellon University an Ivy League school?
Ans: Carnegie Mellon University is not an Ivy League school, but is one of the top universities in the world. Computer Science programs are at par or even better than Ivy League universities like MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology).
Ques: Is Carnegie Mellon a top university?
Ans: Carnegie Mellon University is a top university in the USA and the world. In the QS world university ranking 2025, it is placed at 58th position. Moreover, Times Higher Education ranked this university in the 24th position in 2024.
Ques: Why is Carnegie Mellon so famous?
Ans: Carnegie Mellon is known for its advances in research and new fields of study, home to many firsts in computer science (including the first machine learning, robotics, and computational biology departments), pioneering the field of management science, and the first drama program in the USA.
Ques: Is Carnegie Mellon expensive?
Ans: Carnegie Mellon University is expensive. The annual cost of attending CMU is within the range of 60,000 to 84,412 USD, depending on your study level.
Ques: Can I apply to multiple programs at Carnegie Mellon University?
Ans: Yes, you can apply to multiple programs at Carnegie Mellon University. You need to fill different application forms for each program. Also ensure that you meet eligibility requirements for the respective programs before sending in your application.
Carnegie Mellon University Program Fees & Deadlines
| Program | Important Dates | Fees | Exams Score | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
M.S Computer Science 2 years | Early Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake (29th Nov 2023) Final Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake (13th Dec 2023) | USD 54,700 /Yr |
| |
Application Deadline For 2024 Intake (1st Apr 2024) | USD 108,220 /Yr |
| ||
Master of Computational Data Science 12 months | Early Application Deadline Fall 2023 (29th Nov 2023) Final Application Deadline For Fall 2023 (13th Dec 2023) | USD 54,420 /Yr |
| |
M.S Robotic Systems Development 21 months | Early Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake (29th Nov 2023) Final Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake (13th Dec 2023) | USD 54,700 /Yr |
| |
M.S Machine Learning 2 years | Early Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake (29th Nov 2023) Final Application Deadline For Fall 2024 Intake (13th Dec 2023) | USD 54,700 /Yr |
| |
M.B.A 2 years | Application Deadline For Round 1 2025 Intake (2nd Oct 2024) Application Decision For Round 4 2024 Intake (6th Dec 2024) Deposit Deadline For Round 4 2024 Intake (11th Feb 2025) | USD 75,712 /Yr |
|
What students say about Carnegie Mellon University
Likes
- A lot of courses are either industrial or research-based, depending on the kind of course you choose.
- Most students in my department receive a varying amount of funding based on their scores.
- One could go to any building and see an event, a conference, or a guest lecture. Often, there are also fun activities happening. The best part is that there are no restrictions on attending.
- For masters and PhD, off-campus housing resources are available and there are many places to sublet or rent for about $600-900 per month.
- There are mostly Asians because I think Asians are more focused on academics compared to the west, and CMU does require you to be really smart and intense in academics.
- I have engaged in many activities and strived to improve all the time.
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Carnegie Mellon University comparison
| University Name | Carnegie Mellon University | Stanford University | Columbia University | University of Pennsylvania | University of California | Cornell University | Harvard University | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | University of California | University of Michigan | Georgia Institute of Technology | University of Pittsburgh | Case Western Reserve University |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 6.4 Out of 10 | 9.3 Out of 10 | 8.4 Out of 10 | 7.9 Out of 10 | 7.8 Out of 10 | 7.9 Out of 10 | 10 Out of 10 | 9 Out of 10 | 8.4 Out of 10 | 7.5 Out of 10 | 6.1 Out of 10 | 6 Out of 10 | 5.8 Out of 10 |
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| Acceptance Rate | 21.7 % | 3.9 % | 3.9 % | 7.0 % | 11.0 % | 14.1 % | 7.0 % | 4.0 % | 16.4 % | 28.0 % | 23.0 % | 55.0 % | 35.4 % |
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Carnegie Mellon University Student Profiles
Carnegie Mellon University Reviews
8 Reviews Found
- Likes:
- The brand name significantly contributes to a proxy in competence, which is a major advantage.,
- Strong support for those looking to pursue entrepreneurship opportunities.,
- Ideal for those interested in highly technical courses and opportunities.
- Dislikes:
- Not a very suitable fit for Product Management.,
- Tuition fees are quite high for the value provided.,
- Large batch sizes may be a concern.
Overview:
I primarily chose this college for its brand value and the successful placements of alumni. However, the program was more focused on data and software development rather than product management, which was a drawback.
Fees:
$26,000/semester.
- Likes:
- I liked faculties and their way of teaching,
- Infrastructure of the campus is great and mind blowing,
- University provides great exposure and help in all round development
- Dislikes:
- Fees of the university is very expensive,
- Academic is rigorous and cost of living is high
Overview:
The admission process included marks of GRE and IELTS i.e I got 323 marks in GRE and 8 bands in IELTS. Other things included were Academics of bachelor, SOP, LOR of faculties and other financial documents. I prepared for exams from online platform i.e. GregMat and didn't go for any consultancy for admission.
Fees:
Program is little expensive and I managed finances by taking educational loan and mode of payment was wire transfer. I took Educational loan from bank with around 6.5% interest rate and other academics expenses include books and other required course materials.
- Likes:
- The world-class environment and the ample amount of opportunities were my major factors to choose CMU, followed by the profiles of the professors and the talk with the current cohort.,
- The holistic take on grooming the students, providing a realistic view and making them job market ready are some points I like about the university. The career development centre is a little helpful but the research is completely a responsibility of the student.
- Dislikes:
- As an international student you might end feeling lonely at some states, however one needs to trust the process. I personally prefer keeping away from departmental politics. Initially, it did distract me however, it's important to bear in mind that it's a common occurrence and you shouldn't take it personally.
Overview:
I had a great experience at Carnegie Mellon University. It was a fun, engaging, and fruitful time. The environment at the university was pretty warm with some chills of winter in Pittsburgh. Learning about different cultures and meeting new people was cherry on top.
Fees:
It was $78,000 at the time I enrolled. There is a plan going on to convert it into a two year program from one year, which would most likely increase the tuition fee as well.
- Likes:
- CMU is the number 1 college in systems and security courses that I wanted to do.,
- The rigorousness of CMU is what really makes it valuable. I have worked for 2.5 years before coming here and a semester of work here is worth more learning than my entire career. That being said, it is very hectic and can be very hard for a lot of students.
- Dislikes:
- The bonding between students across departments can be improved. Intra department is good but inter department can be made better. There are events that happen every now and then that try to make this happen however it can be hard for everyone to sync up since every department has a very different course set for its students that leads to wildly different schedules for students.
Overview:
The overall experience here has been very amazing for me. I have engaged in a lot of activities and strived to be better all the time. This is very valuable to me and I hope it is the same for anyone else who joins as well.
Fees:
100000
- Likes:
- The reputation of Carnegie Mellon University within CS and Analytics is top notch, and the program course really aligned with what I was looking for.
Overview:
My overall experience has been good so far. Faculty is great, career coaches are really helpful. Our program director is a great man. The only thing that I find difficult is that the program length is only 9 months which makes the program pretty intense.
Fees:
$70,000 for 9 month program - 2 semesters, 108 credits.
- Likes:
- Because of the diverse curriculum and the integration of choosing the courses I like, aside from the prestigious reputation.
Overview:
It's amazing, I like it here. It has definitely broadened my horizons by a lot. I really like the challenge of a CMU degree.
Fees:
Around $27,000 per semester.
Overview:
Best program flexibility and top-ranked in its domain. Best research too.
Fees:
80,000$
Fees:
77000
Campus Life:
CMU has a lot of resources, lots of funding. I think they are building a robotic centre now. There is a Hunt Library which is the biggest library in CMU. There are couples more. I am still in the exploring phase with regards to the libraries. They are open 24*7. They have all the resources. They have also got this crowd funding program. Like if you got an idea and you want to work on it, CMU provides crowd funding for that. With regards to entrepreneurship, they have this really amazing club called Graduate Entrepreneurship Club (GEC) and they got a lot of money. Since, CMU is a tech university. They do have a lot of fests and traditions which are in inclined with technology.
Carnegie Mellon University Scholarships
| Name | Scholarship Per Student | Level of Study | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Innovation in Education Scholarship - La Tutors 123 | Scholarship per student$500 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| (ISC)² Women’s Cybersecurity Scholarships | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| Bharat Petroleum Scholarship | Scholarship per studentVariable Amount | Level Of StudyMaster | TypeMerit-Based | |
| ASID Foundation Legacy Scholarships | Scholarship per student$4,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeMerit-Based | |
| University of Alabama Scholarships | Scholarship per student$6,000 | Level Of StudyBachelor | TypeCollege-Specific | |
| QS Connect Master’s Scholarship | Scholarship per student$5,000 | Level Of StudyMaster | TypeMerit-Based |
View All 85 Scholarships
Carnegie Mellon University Admissions
Application Portal: https://admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/apply-now
Early Action Deadlines
Important Date: November1 (Application deadline)Important Date: April1 (Application results)Regular Decision Deadlines
Important Date: January15 (Application deadline)Important Date: April1 (Application results)
Carnegie Mellon University Exam Scores
Attendance Cost
The table shows average yearly cost of attendance for international students. Amount may vary with the course opted, nature of accommodation, and personal spending habits of a candidate.Check Program wise Fees
Carnegie Mellon University Campuses, Schools & Faculties
Faculty
School
Tepper School of Business
Carnegie Mellon University Accreditations
Faculty
| Total Faculty | Full Time | Part Time | Graduate Assistants |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16222 | 15132 | 1090 | 3008 |
work study options in carnegie mellon university
Carnegie Mellon University Campus Location
Nearby This Campus
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- Book Store
- Shopping Mall
- Restaurant
- Super Market
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Bus Station
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● All distance are measured radially. Actual distance may vary
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Comments
4 Comments
I am hardworking in the education field, but I am interested in Italy. Mellon University is impoverished. People provide many facilities in every field.
There is no university called "Mellon University" in Italy. You might be confusing it with another institution. However, you can explore the CMU courses to learn more about the curriculum, fees, and other details.
To apply for the MS in Robotics program of Carnegie Mellon University, you must have an udergraduate degree with subjects in the following areas.
International students will also be asked to submit valid ELP test scores. Applications must be submitted through the Graduate Online Application Portal.
IELTS is not a course that you can pursue. But is a standardized test that measures the English language proficiency of non-native English speakers. The test assesses the four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. You can register for this test online and take the test on any one the test dates available for that particular month.