Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University is a hub for some of the most talented doers, dreamers and difference-makers in the world. We are a private, internationally ranked research university with programs in areas ranging from science, technology and business to public policy, the humanities and the arts. Our undergraduate community includes more than 7,000 students in eight colleges and programs who benefit from a small student-to-faculty ratio and an education characterized by its focus on innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration and hands-on creativity. Here, you’ll learn and explore side-by-side with world-renowned faculty, collaborating to tackle society’s biggest challenges and deliver work that matters.

We know that college is an investment, and we know that the Tartan alumni experience is an excellent return on that investment.  The strength of academics, research and the university’s experiential approach to learning position our graduates as top targets for employers, driving strong post-graduation outcomes.

To help secure your return on investment, Carnegie Mellon meets the full demonstrated need of those who apply for financial aid.  Your financial need is determined through your financial aid application and your family’s resources such as assets and income. 

In addition, in a transformative milestone for access and affordability in higher education, Carnegie Mellon has announced the launch of the CMU Pathway Program, set to begin in the 2025-26 academic year. This initiative aims to provide significant financial relief to undergraduates from low- and middle-income families, ensuring that a quality education at CMU is within reach for all deserving students.

Under the CMU Pathway Program, students from families earning less than $75,000 annually will be able to attend CMU tuition-free. Additionally, those from families earning less than $100,000 annually will have the opportunity to pursue their studies without the burden of federal student loans. This program is designed to support new and returning undergraduate students on CMU’s Pittsburgh campus who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and whose families have typical assets for their income.

To get an estimate of what your financial aid offer might look like, click the Net Price Calculator link below.  Using the information you provide, the calculator will give you a “net price,” which reflects your estimated costs of attending Carnegie Mellon for one year minus your estimated financial aid. While it’s not a guarantee of financial aid, it’s the first step to discover if Carnegie Mellon is the right financial fit for you.

Financing a college education takes commitment and creativity.  Carnegie Mellon commits millions of dollars annually toward financial need.

Financial aid offers for full-time undergraduate students consist of a combination of federal financial assistance and Carnegie Mellon grants.  Some offers also include state and outside scholarships.

Carnegie Mellon’s total financial aid expenditure in 2022-23 was $163.1 million, over 76% was CMU grant funding.

At Carnegie Mellon, we’re building a class with Tartans of all kinds. We select our first-year class from a large group of very qualified candidates. We don’t use a calculation to choose who to admit because calculations can’t take into account all the factors we consider when making admission decisions. No single grade, score or activity will automatically grant or deny you admission to Carnegie Mellon. We treat every applicant as an individual, taking great care to make our admission decisions fair, thorough and sensitive. We’re interested in students who can be successful at Carnegie Mellon while taking full advantage of all the university has to offer.

Our admission process is designed to select a highly talented, diverse undergraduate population with high aspirations who will succeed at Carnegie Mellon. If you’re applying to a specific academic program,  your high school talent and/or potential will be a significant factor in our admission decision because it’s the most meaningful indication of your motivation and abilities. We pay close attention to your curriculum rigor, the grades you’ve earned and the work you’ve accomplished. We’re interested in seeing that you’ve challenged yourself within your secondary school environment.

We recommend that you think creatively about how your experiences in and out of the classroom showcase these characteristics. We also encourage you to consider how to share your experiences and aspirations so the admission committee can learn more about you as an applicant, student and person beyond a list of accomplishments.

There is no such thing as the typical Carnegie Mellon student, but all Tartans are driven by curiosity and a desire to make the world a better place. That innovative spirit is in strong demand by a wide variety of employers and top graduate programs – who know our students graduate not only with passion to make the world a better place, but the skills to actually do it.

You’ll leave with all the resources you need to secure a job you love, and be among some of our most notable and compelling alumni like Randy Pausch, the author of the “Last Lecture” and creator of Alice Educational Software, Billy Porter, an Emmy, Tony, and Grammy Award winner, Judith Resnick, the second American female astronaut in space who was aboard the Discovery and Challenger shuttles; and Luis Von Ahn, the co-founder and CEO of Duolingo, to name a few.

Additionally, here are some insights from our Class of 2023:

• 61% of graduates were employed full-time within six months of graduation.
• 30% of graduates were enrolled in graduate programs, both domestic and international.
• Top employers include corporate, government and non-profit organizations like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Deloitte, National Institutes of Health and more.
• The average starting salary for our graduates was $111,814 versus the national average of $58,862.