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Over 33,000 high-achieving teens applied to be part of Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 Class of 2028, and the vast majority of successful applicants had pristine transcripts and SATs of 1500 or better. Selectivity at this school, which is named after two famous/infamous Captains of Industry/Robber Barons is nothing new, but it has reached previously unimaginable levels in recent years. In the 1980s, the acceptance rate hovered between 42-46% and the average SAT was just a shade over 1200. By the year 2000, the school received over 14,000 applications each cycle and the Carnegie Mellon acceptance rate was 36%.

In addition to the rise in selectivity, CMU also has a somewhat complex application process and a varying degree of difficulty depending on which of the university鈥檚 seven undergraduate colleges/programs you hope to enter. To assist you in this quest, we will provide those considering applying to Carnegie Mellon University with the following:

• Carnegie Mellon’s acceptance rate (plus how to predict your chances using our free admissions calculator)
• Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 ED acceptance rate
• SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted Carnegie Mellon applicants
• Admissions trends at Carnegie Mellon
• Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 system for rating applicants
• A look at the demographics of Carnegie Mellon undergraduates
• The percentage of accepted students that attend the university
• Tips for applying to Carnegie Mellon
• CMU essay prompts
• How to assess whether applying to Carnegie Mellon is even worth the $75 application fee (for you)
• Whether CMU is transfer-friendly

Carnegie Mellon Admissions Calculator

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Carnegie Mellon Acceptance Rate

Of 33,941 applications submitted for the Class of 2028, 3,959 were admitted for a Carnegie Mellon University acceptance rate of only 11.6%. This was just a bit higher than the acceptance rate for the Class of 2027.

Historical CMU acceptance rates have held steady for the past few years:

CMU Acceptance Rates by College

CMU’s overall acceptance rate doesn’t tell the whole story. In the chart below, we’ve broken down the acceptance rates by college for the Class of 2024 (most recent available). As you can see, acceptance rates vary widely by school/program. While the acceptance rates will have changed in the years since, this data can give you an idea of which colleges are most competitive.

Carnegie Mellon Early Decision Acceptance Rate

For the Class of 2028 (most recent available), the Carnegie Mellon University ED acceptance rate was 13.8%. While this is higher than the regular decision clip, this figure represents less of an advantage than at many other elite institutions, where rates can be 2-3 times higher for ED applicants. The deadline for early decision at CMU is November 1 and decisions are made by December 15. Carnegie Mellon no longer offers an ED II option.

What GPA do you need to get into Carnegie Mellon?

Among enrolled 2024-2025 first-year students, the average GPA was 3.89.

47% of enrolled students had a GPA of 4.0 or above, while 38.3% had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. Only 14% of students had a GPA under 3.74.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Carnegie Mellon?

Among enrolled 2024-25 first-year students, an impressive 97% hailed from the top 10%, while 99.8% earned a place in the top 25%.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Carnegie Mellon?

For the Class of 2028, the mid-50% percentile SAT score was 1510-1560, while the mid-50% percentile ACT score was 34-35. Additionally, 96.3% of those who submitted the SAT scored between 1400 and 1600; 98% of those who submitted the ACT scored over 30.

Finally, even though Carnegie Mellon is test-optional, 53% of enrolled students submitted SAT scores and 22.4% submitted ACT scores, so it’s in your best interest to take either and try to do as well on it as possible.

SAT/ACT/GPA by College

The SAT and ACT middle-50% ranges as well as the average GPA, by college, for the Class of 2024 (most recent available) are as follows:

Admissions Trends & Notes

• CMU is for students applying to join the university in fall 2026. Only the College of Fine Arts will remain test-optional; the College of Engineering, the Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Heinz College鈥檚 Information Systems program, the Mellon College of Science, and the Tepper School of Business are adopting “test-flexible” policies while the School of Computer Science will now require submission of an SAT or ACT score.
• The Class of 2028 included 8.8% first-generation college students, down from 11% the previous year.
• 20% of the Class of 2028 is international, representing 43 countries.
• The number of applicants increased slightly from 2023 to 2024.

Who Actually Gets Into Carnegie Mellon?

Let鈥檚 look at the demographics of current Carnegie Mellon undergraduates.

In 2024, the undergraduate population at CMU had the following distribution:

• In-state students: 21%
• Out-of-state students: 79%

In a recent application cycle, the Mid-Atlantic Region was the most represented area. Furthermore, competition is typically stiffest among those hailing from states with endless streams of qualified applicants (the entire Northeast & the West Coast). Contrarily, some recent classes contained no students from Alaska, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, or Wyoming. However, the Class of 2028 hailed from 47 states and 43 countries.

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown for the Class of 2028 is as follows:

• White: 21%
• Asian: 39%
• Hispanic: 6%
• Black or African American: 2%
• International: 20%

The countries sending the greatest number of undergraduate students to CMU are:

1. China
2. India
3. South Korea
4. Singapore
5. Canada

The breakdown by gender is as follows:

• Male: 54%
• Female: 43%
• Another: 3%

In the past, women have enjoyed a much better acceptance rate than men, as the university has historically received far fewer applications from female students. For the Class of 2028, acceptance rates were 9.7% for men and 15% for women.

Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 Yield Rate

Carnegie Mellon鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted is 47%. This number is over 30 points lower than Harvard and Stanford but in the same ballpark as many other selective private universities. Carnegie Mellon sports a similar yield rate to schools like the University of Michigan, Amherst College, and Tulane University.

How Carnegie Mellon Rates Applicants

There are six factors that Carnegie Mellon ranks as being 鈥渧ery important鈥� to their admissions process: rigor of secondary school record, class rank, GPA, extracurricular activities, volunteer work experience, and character/personal qualities. Essays, recommendations, first-generation status, and talent/ability are 鈥渋mportant鈥� to the admissions committee. Standardized test scores are “considered.”

Carnegie Mellon is not going to be impressed that you filled the ten spaces on the Common App Activity List; rather, they are looking for genuine excellence in one or more activities. For example, maybe you placed in a prestigious international science or mathematics competition, you co-authored original research, you developed an app, or you used your skills to help a charitable institution.

According to the school:

• 鈥淣o single grade, factor, score or activity will automatically gain 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鈥檙e interested in students who can be successful at Carnegie Mellon, while taking full advantage of all the university has to offer and enriching our campus community.鈥�
• “Your non-academic interests, including extracurricular involvement, part-time jobs, family commitments, hobbies, and community engagement play a very important role in the admission process. We also consider collaboration, perseverance, passion, advocacy for others, and self-direction when making admission decisions.”
• “Think carefully about your Carnegie Mellon college selection(s) before applying. While you may apply to up to two colleges or programs that match your interests, bear in mind that most applicants will only be selected for their highest-choice college to which they鈥榬e admissible.”

Tips for Applying to Carnegie Mellon

If you plan on joining the 33,000+ CMU hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

• CMU will now .
• Carnegie Mellon does not offer any type of for incoming freshmen. As a result, one of the best ways for admissions officers to get to know you on a personal level is through your two required recommendations鈥攐ne from your counselor and one from your teacher. Applicants are also permitted to include an optional third letter of recommendation. For tips on which teachers to target and how to ask, revisit How to Request Letters of Recommendation.聽
• Carnegie Mellon does not officially consider 鈥�demonstrated interest鈥� so you won鈥檛 be judged on whether or not you made a campus visit (in non-pandemic times), contacted an admissions officer, etc. However, given the school鈥檚 lower yield rate (compared to some other elite schools), it is never a bad idea to reach out to an admissions officer with a question, attend a virtual session, craft thoughtful essays, and/or engage with the school on social media.
• When applying to CMU, you must apply to a specific college. To apply to more than one college, you will need to fill out a separate application and submit an additional application fee. However, CMU does allow you to select a second-choice school on a singular application.
• Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to three 300-word supplemental essays required by Carnegie Mellon. In the 2025-26 cycle, they are as follows:

CMU Essay Prompts (300 words each)

1) Many students pursue college for a specific degree, career opportunity or personal goal. Whichever it may be, learning will be critical to achieve your ultimate goal. As you think ahead to the process of learning during your college years, how will you define a successful college experience?

2) Most students choose their intended major or area of study based on a passion or inspiration that鈥檚 developed over time 鈥� what passion or inspiration led you to choose this area of study?

3) Consider your application as a whole. What do you personally want to emphasize about your application for the admission committee鈥檚 consideration? Highlight something that鈥檚 important to you or something you haven鈥檛 had a chance to share. Tell us, don鈥檛 show us (no websites please).

For more on how to tackle the CMU essays, visit our blog: Carnegie Mellon – Essay Prompts and Tips.

Should I apply to Carnegie Mellon?

Those that will fare best in conquering this admissions gauntlet will boast a transcript of straight 鈥楢鈥檚 in an exceptionally rigorous program of classes, superior standardized test scores (typically 98th percentile or better), and at least one or two talents and passions outside of the classroom.

Do I have a better chance of acceptance as a transfer student?

Unfortunately, no. The CMU acceptance rate for transfers is lower than it is for freshmen. In the most recent cycle (24-25), only 94 students were accepted out of 1,084 applicants, meaning that the transfer acceptance rate was 5.5%. Here is a sampling of past transfer acceptance rates:

Read more about the Carnegie Mellon transfer rates and requirements here.

CMU Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts

If you bring strong academic and extracurricular credentials to the table, there is no harm in filling out a Carnegie Mellon application, but鈥攁s with all highly competitive colleges in 2024鈥攅ven the best and brightest teens need to have an appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥� and 鈥渟afety鈥� schools.

Additional resources you might find useful:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• How to Complete the Common App Activities List
• Common App Essay Prompts