Carnegie Mellon Common Data Set 2025-2026

Jun 23

Carnegie Mellon University’s 2025-2026 Common Data Set gives applicants a detailed look at one of the most selective and academically intense universities in the country. The data shows CMU’s overall Pittsburgh campus admit rate, how Early Decision works, how test scores are treated, what academic profile enrolled students have, and why applicants must think carefully about the specific CMU program they are applying to.

Below is what the latest data reveals about Carnegie Mellon admissions and what applicants should take away from it.

A Sharper Look at Carnegie Mellon’s Selectivity

For Fall 2025 first-year admission to the Pittsburgh campus, Carnegie Mellon reported:

Applications received: 34,867
Students admitted: 3,859
Students enrolled: 1,804
Acceptance rate: roughly 11.1 percent
Yield rate: roughly 46.7 percent

That means CMU admitted a little more than one student out of every ten who applied to the Pittsburgh campus. This is highly selective on its own, but the overall number still hides major differences by program.

At Carnegie Mellon, the college or school matters enormously. A student applying to the School of Computer Science, the College of Engineering, the School of Drama, the School of Music, the College of Fine Arts, Dietrich College, Mellon College of Science, Tepper, or another program is not really applying to a generic version of CMU. The admissions context changes by academic program.

That is why the Common Data Set itself warns that factors vary by program. Applicants should not treat the overall 11.1 percent admit rate as their personal probability of admission.

Early Decision Matters, but It Is Not Available for Every Program

Carnegie Mellon offers Early Decision, but not Early Action.

For the Fall 2025 entering class, CMU reported:

Early Decision applications: 2,680
Early Decision admits: 553
Early Decision acceptance rate: roughly 20.6 percent
Early Decision deadline: November 1
Early Decision notification: December 15
Regular Decision deadline: January 1
Regular Decision notification: by April 1
Early Action: not offered

By comparison, the overall Pittsburgh campus admit rate was about 11.1 percent. If we subtract Early Decision from the total pool, the remaining pool had about 32,187 applicants and 3,306 admits, an implied admit rate of roughly 10.3 percent.

That does not mean every applicant should apply ED. The ED pool is self-selecting and often includes students who are highly prepared and unusually committed. Also, CMU notes that Early Decision is not available for Acting, Directing, Dramaturgy, Music Theater, or the School of Music.

For a student whose first-choice CMU program allows Early Decision, whose application is ready by November, and whose family understands the financial commitment of a binding plan, ED can be a serious strategic option.

The Academic Profile of Enrolled Students

Among enrolled students who submitted scores in the reported first-year profile, Carnegie Mellon’s testing profile was extremely high:

SAT composite: 1500 to 1560, median 1540
SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing: 730 to 770, median 750
SAT Math: 770 to 800, median 790
ACT composite: 34 to 36, median 35
ACT Math: 33 to 36, median 35
ACT English: 33 to 36, median 35
Submitted an SAT: 65.5 percent
Submitted an ACT: 18.1 percent

The score distribution is also revealing. Among students who submitted SAT scores, 93.4 percent had a composite score between 1400 and 1600. Among students who submitted ACT scores, 93.6 percent had a composite score between 30 and 36.

CMU also reports very strong GPA data:

Average high school GPA: 3.89
Percent submitting GPA: 99.7 percent
4.0 GPA: 43.9 percent
3.75 to 3.99 GPA: 41.7 percent
3.50 to 3.74 GPA: 10.9 percent
3.25 to 3.49 GPA: 2.2 percent
3.00 to 3.24 GPA: 1.0 percent
2.50 to 2.99 GPA: 0.3 percent

That means 85.6 percent of enrolled students with reported GPA data had a GPA of 3.75 or higher, and 96.5 percent had a GPA of 3.50 or higher.

Carnegie Mellon Is Test-Optional, Not Test-Blind

Carnegie Mellon reports that SAT or ACT scores are considered if submitted. In the admissions factor table, standardized test scores are rated Considered, not Very Important or Important.

This means CMU is not test-blind. A strong score can still be useful, especially when it confirms a student’s academic strength. But test scores are not listed among the top admissions factors.

The practical takeaway is straightforward:

A score near or above CMU’s enrolled-student range can strengthen the application.
A score far below CMU’s range may not help.
A student applying without scores needs the transcript, GPA, recommendations, essays, and extracurricular profile to carry more weight.
The SAT or ACT essay is not used.

For CMU, testing is one piece of evidence. It is not the center of the application.

Who Makes Up the First-Year Class

For Pittsburgh campus first-year students, CMU reported the following racial and ethnic breakdown:

Asian: 42.6 percent
White: 19.2 percent
International or nonresident: 14.5 percent
Race or ethnicity unknown: 9.6 percent
Hispanic or Latino: 6.0 percent
Two or more races: 5.0 percent
Black or African American: 3.1 percent
American Indian or Alaska Native: 0 percent reported
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 0 percent reported

This reflects CMU’s unusually strong draw among students interested in computer science, engineering, technology, quantitative fields, design, business, and highly specialized creative programs.

How Carnegie Mellon Weighs Each Part of the Application

The admissions factor table is one of the most useful parts of the Common Data Set.

Rated Very Important:

Rigor of secondary school record
Class rank
Academic GPA
Extracurricular activities
Character and personal qualities
Volunteer work

Rated Important:

Application essay
Recommendations
Talent or ability
First-generation status

Rated Considered:

Standardized test scores
Geographic residence
Work experience

Rated Not Considered:

Interview
Alumni relation
State residency
Religious affiliation or commitment
Level of applicant interest

The most important pattern is that CMU places enormous weight on academics and demonstrated substance. Rigor, class rank, GPA, extracurriculars, character, and volunteer work are all in the highest category.

The second important pattern is that demonstrated interest is not considered. Visiting campus, opening emails, or contacting admissions does not function as an admissions factor according to the Common Data Set.

Class Rank Is Listed as Very Important

Carnegie Mellon rates class rank as Very Important, even though only 19 percent of enrolled first-year students submitted class rank.

Among those who submitted class rank:

82.5 percent were in the top tenth of their graduating class
94.4 percent were in the top quarter
99.1 percent were in the top half

If a student’s school does not rank, that does not automatically hurt them. Many high schools no longer report rank. But when rank is available, CMU clearly values it.

What the Top Factors Actually Mean

The six Very Important factors are where CMU applications are won or lost.

Rigor of secondary school record. CMU wants students who challenged themselves with the strongest courses available. AP, IB, honors, dual enrollment, advanced STEM, advanced humanities, and serious senior-year coursework all matter.

Class rank. CMU values a student’s standing within their school context. If rank is reported, the strongest applicants are usually near the top of their class.

Academic GPA. CMU’s enrolled GPA profile is extremely strong. A high GPA is not enough by itself, but weak grades make admission very difficult.

Extracurricular activities. CMU cares about what students actually do with their time. For technical applicants, this might mean research, coding, robotics, engineering projects, math competitions, startups, or applied technical work. For arts applicants, it might mean portfolios, performances, exhibitions, productions, or serious creative training.

Character and personal qualities. CMU is looking for students who can contribute to an intense, collaborative, high-output environment. Character should come through in essays, recommendations, activities, and the student’s pattern of commitments.

Volunteer work. CMU rates volunteer work as Very Important, which is notable. Service should not be superficial. The strongest service work shows commitment, responsibility, and concrete contribution.

The Carnegie Mellon Applicant Strategy

A strong CMU application should be built around a clear academic and personal direction.

For computer science, engineering, math, physics, robotics, data science, or other technical applicants, the application should show serious technical preparation. That can mean advanced coursework, research, coding projects, engineering builds, robotics, competitions, open-source work, internships, or applied problem-solving.

For business applicants, CMU will still expect analytical strength. A stronger application might show entrepreneurship, finance, data analysis, leadership, economics, operations, or technology-driven business work.

For design, drama, music, architecture, art, or other creative applicants, talent and preparation matter heavily. The application should not rely only on grades. It should show artistic development, portfolio strength, performance experience, creative seriousness, and fit with the specific program.

For humanities and social science applicants, CMU still rewards intellectual depth. Strong writing, research, policy work, debate, language study, digital humanities, social science data analysis, or interdisciplinary work can help make the application feel distinctly CMU.

The mistake many applicants make is treating Carnegie Mellon as a generic elite university. CMU is not generic. It is highly specialized, program-driven, and unusually demanding. The application needs to make sense for the specific school or major.

Recommendations and Essays Matter

Carnegie Mellon rates recommendations and application essays as Important.

That means teacher and counselor letters should do more than say the student is smart. The strongest recommendations should show how the student thinks, solves problems, contributes to a classroom, handles difficulty, collaborates, and pursues work beyond minimum expectations.

The essays should not sound like generic “why college” writing. They should help CMU understand why the student’s interests, skills, and goals fit the specific academic environment they are applying into.

Demonstrated Interest Does Not Matter

CMU reports that level of applicant interest is Not Considered.

That means students should not waste energy trying to perform interest through empty interactions. The reason to research CMU is not to trigger demonstrated interest. The reason is to understand the school deeply enough to submit a more specific, convincing application.

A strong CMU applicant should know the program they are applying to, understand its expectations, and be able to explain why that academic environment makes sense for them.

The Waitlist Is Not a Plan

Carnegie Mellon reports that it uses a waitlist. In the waitlist data reported in this Common Data Set:

Students offered a place on the waitlist: 7,117
Students accepting a place on the waitlist: 4,937
Students admitted from the waitlist: 36
Waitlist ranked: No

That means fewer than 1 percent of students who accepted a place on the waitlist were eventually admitted.

The conclusion is simple: the CMU waitlist should not be treated as a realistic backup plan. A student can accept a waitlist spot if CMU remains a top choice, but they should move forward seriously with another option.

Transfer Admission Is Extremely Competitive

CMU reports the following transfer numbers:

Transfer applications: 1,610
Transfer admits: 136
Transfer enrolled students: 62
Transfer acceptance rate: roughly 8.4 percent
Transfer yield rate: roughly 45.6 percent

Transfer admission to CMU is even more selective than first-year admission by the reported overall rate.

Transfer applicants must submit high school and college transcripts, an essay or personal statement, course descriptions from each college or university attended, a recommendation from a professor or advisor, and the College Report form. Transfer credit is evaluated individually and varies by college.

For students considering transfer admission, the key is not just earning a strong college GPA. The application needs to show strong fit with the intended CMU program and evidence that the student has already made meaningful academic progress.

Cost and Financial Aid

Carnegie Mellon’s 2025-2026 published costs are high.

For first-year undergraduates, CMU reports:

Tuition: $67,020
Required fees: $1,756
Room and board: $18,894
Books and supplies: $1,000
Other expenses: $1,400
Estimated total before travel: about $90,070

The required first-year fees include a first-year experience fee, transportation fee, technology fee, and activity fee.

CMU also reports that tuition and fees do not vary by year of study or undergraduate instructional program.

Financial Aid Profile

The Common Data Set reports financial aid award totals for the 2024-2025 estimated year.

CMU reported:

Need-based scholarships and grants: $166.1 million
Non-need-based scholarships and grants: $6.6 million
Need-based institutional grants: $152.6 million
Need-based self-help aid: $15.6 million
Non-need-based self-help aid: $9.4 million

However, the attached Common Data Set does not provide filled-in H2 average aid package figures or H5 student loan borrowing figures. That means this page should not claim a CDS-based average financial aid package, average need met, or average undergraduate debt burden from this file.

One financial aid point is especially important: CMU reports that institutional scholarship and grant aid is not availablefor undergraduate degree-seeking international students. International applicants should take that seriously when evaluating affordability.

Life and Academics Once You Arrive

The Common Data Set also gives a picture of the undergraduate experience:

First-year retention rate: 96.6 percent
Six-year graduation rate: 94.3 percent for the Fall 2019 cohort
Student-to-faculty ratio: 6 to 1
Total undergraduates: 7,728
Total graduate students: 8,854
Grand total students: 16,582

CMU also reports extensive academic opportunities, including accelerated programs, cross-registration, distance learning, double majors, dual enrollment, independent study, internships, liberal arts and career combinations, student-designed majors, study abroad, teacher certification, and undergraduate research.

The class-size and disciplinary degree tables in the attached CDS are not filled in with usable numerical data, so applicants should not use this particular file for a class-size distribution or bachelor’s degree breakdown by field.

If you are preparing a Carnegie Mellon application for the 2026-2027 cycle and want experienced guidance on the pieces that actually move the needle, schedule a consultation with a T20 admissions expert today.

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