Getting into Carnegie Mellon is less about beating one acceptance rate and more about navigating a maze of them, from the fiercely competitive 3% for Drama to the broader but still selective 20% for graduate programs, and this post decodes exactly what those numbers mean for your application.
Key Takeaways
- Carnegie Mellon University's overall undergraduate acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 was 11%
- The School of Computer Science at CMU had an acceptance rate of 7% for the Class of 2026
- Tepper School of Business acceptance rate for undergraduates in 2023 was approximately 13%
- CMU undergraduate applications received for Fall 2023 totaled 36,320
- Class of 2027 offers extended to 4,041 students
- School of Computer Science received 12,000+ applications for 2023
- CMU undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2023 was 7,073 students
- Freshman class size for Class of 2027 is 1,573 students
- School of Computer Science enrolled 500 freshmen in 2023
- Underrepresented minorities make up 28% of undergrads
- 49% of undergraduates are female
- 24% of students are international from 80+ countries
- Middle 50% SAT for Class of 2027: 1500-1570
- Average GPA of admitted students: 3.91 unweighted
- Middle 50% ACT: 34-36 for admits
Carnegie Mellon admission is extremely selective and varies significantly by program.
Acceptance Rates
1Carnegie Mellon University's overall undergraduate acceptance rate for the Class of 2027 was 11%
Verified2The School of Computer Science at CMU had an acceptance rate of 7% for the Class of 2026
Verified3Tepper School of Business acceptance rate for undergraduates in 2023 was approximately 13%
Verified4College of Engineering acceptance rate for Fall 2022 was 12%
Directional5Mellon College of Science acceptance rate stood at 15% for the Class of 2028
Single source6School of Design acceptance rate for BDA program was 5% in 2023
Verified7Dietrich College of Humanities & Social Sciences had a 16% acceptance rate for Fall 2023
Verified8College of Fine Arts acceptance rate was 18% for the Class of 2027
Verified9School of Art acceptance rate for 2022-2023 cycle was 10%
Directional10Drama program acceptance rate at CMU was under 3% for 2023 applicants
Single source11Architecture program acceptance rate was 12% for Fall 2023
Verified12School of Music acceptance rate hovered at 14% for 2023
Verified13Public Policy and Management acceptance rate was 20% for undergraduates in 2022
Verified14Overall graduate acceptance rate at CMU is around 20% across programs
Directional15MS in Computer Science acceptance rate is 10% for Fall 2023
Single source16MBA acceptance rate at Tepper was 28% for 2023 class
Verified17PhD in Machine Learning acceptance rate is 5%
Verified18For Class of 2026, acceptance rate was 11.3%
Verified19Early Decision acceptance rate for Class of 2027 was 13.5%
Directional20Regular Decision acceptance rate for Class of 2027 was 10.8%
Single source21International student acceptance rate is 10% overall
Verified22Female applicant acceptance rate in SCS was 9% for 2023
Verified23In-state applicant acceptance rate at CMU is 15%
Verified24Out-of-state acceptance rate is 11%
Directional25Legacy applicant acceptance rate estimated at 20%
Single source26Athletic recruit acceptance rate around 50% for select sports
Verified27Transfer acceptance rate for undergraduates is 7.8%
Verified28Graduate transfer acceptance rate averages 15%
Verified29Online program acceptance rate for MS in AI is 25%
DirectionalAcceptance Rates Interpretation
While the overall acceptance rate presents a formidable gate, Carnegie Mellon’s various colleges have turned specialization into an art form, offering applicants a delightful spectrum of ways to be gently but firmly told "maybe next time."
Applicant Numbers
1CMU undergraduate applications received for Fall 2023 totaled 36,320
Verified2Class of 2027 offers extended to 4,041 students
Verified3School of Computer Science received 12,000+ applications for 2023
Verified4Tepper School saw 5,200 undergraduate applications in 2023
Directional5College of Engineering applications: 10,500 for Fall 2023
Single source6Mellon College of Science applications numbered 4,800 in 2023
Verified7School of Design BDA program had 2,100 applicants in 2023
Verified8Dietrich College applications: 6,200 for 2023 cycle
Verified9College of Fine Arts received 3,000 applications
Directional10School of Art applications: 1,500 for 2023
Single source11Drama program applications exceeded 2,500
Verified12Architecture undergraduate applications: 900 in 2023
Verified13School of Music applications: 1,200
Verified14Heinz College undergrad apps: 1,800 for 2023
Directional15Graduate applications to CMU total 45,000 annually
Single source16MS CS program received 8,000 applications for Fall 2023
Verified17Tepper MBA applications: 2,500 for Class of 2025
Verified18ML PhD applications: 1,200 per year
Verified19Early Decision applications for Class of 2027: 4,500
Directional20Regular Decision apps for Class of 2027: 31,820
Single source21International applications: 15,000 for undergrad 2023
Verified22Female applicants to SCS: 3,500 in 2023
Verified23In-state applications: 2,500
Verified24Out-of-state apps: 33,820
Directional25Transfer applications: 1,200 for 2023
Single source26Waitlist size for Class of 2027: 5,000 students
Verified27Online MS AI applications: 3,000 in first year
Verified28PhD applications across engineering: 10,000
VerifiedApplicant Numbers Interpretation
Carnegie Mellon's admissions statistics reveal a university so intensely sought after that its 36,320 undergraduate hopefuls are essentially competing in a high-stakes academic draft where even the specialized schools have applicant pools larger than most colleges' entire freshman classes.
Demographic Data
1Underrepresented minorities make up 28% of undergrads
Verified249% of undergraduates are female
Verified324% of students are international from 80+ countries
Verified4Asian American students: 28% of Class of 2027
Directional5Black/African American: 6% of freshmen class
Single source6Hispanic/Latino: 10% of undergrad population
Verified7White students: 29% of total undergrads
Verified8First-generation college students: 18% of admits
Verified9Pell Grant recipients: 15% of undergrads
Directional10LGBTQ+ students: 12% identify as such
Single source11Veterans enrolled: 150 active
Verified12Pennsylvania residents: 12% of undergrads
Verified13Northeast US students: 35% of domestic admits
Verified14California applicants highest domestic state at 15%
Directional15China leads international with 40% of intl students
Single source16India: 15% of international undergrads
Verified17Female in SCS: 48% of undergrads in 2023
Verified18Age distribution: 99% under 25 for undergrads
Verified19Graduate students: 52% female
Directional20Undergrads from public high schools: 65%
Single source21Private/independent schools: 35%
Verified22Rural origin students: 5%
VerifiedDemographic Data Interpretation
Carnegie Mellon's student body reads less like a monolithic institution and more like a vibrant, carefully composed mosaic, where nearly every statistic challenges a stereotype and proves that brilliance thrives in spectacular diversity.
Enrollment Data
1CMU undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2023 was 7,073 students
Verified2Freshman class size for Class of 2027 is 1,573 students
Verified3School of Computer Science enrolled 500 freshmen in 2023
Verified4Tepper School freshman enrollment: 220 for Fall 2023
Directional5College of Engineering new undergrads: 650 in 2023
Single source6Mellon College of Science freshmen: 300
Verified7School of Design BDA enrollment: 80 students
Verified8Dietrich College freshmen: 400
Verified9College of Fine Arts new students: 150
Directional10School of Art undergrad enrollment growth to 120 freshmen
Single source11Drama program enrolled 25 new students
Verified12Architecture freshmen: 60
Verified13School of Music new undergrads: 50
Verified14Heinz College undergrad enrollment: 100 freshmen
Directional15Total graduate enrollment at CMU: 8,500 students
Single source16MS CS program enrolled 250 students for Fall 2023
Verified17Tepper MBA class size: 175 for 2025
Verified18ML PhD incoming class: 15 students
Verified19Yield rate for Class of 2027 was 43%
Directional20Early Decision yield: 65% for accepted students
Single source21International student enrollment: 1,800 undergrads
Verified22Female undergrad enrollment: 3,500 (49%)
Verified23In-state enrollment: 500 students
Verified24Transfer students enrolled: 90 for 2023
Directional25Total full-time undergrads: 7,000+
Single source26Part-time enrollment: 73 undergrads
Verified27Online enrollment growth to 500 grad students
Verified28PhD enrollment total: 1,500 across disciplines
VerifiedEnrollment Data Interpretation
While Carnegie Mellon meticulously assembles its vibrant, multifaceted class of over 7,000 undergraduates—from 500 future coders in Computer Science to 25 daring new dramatists—the real magic is that 57% of the brilliant students they fight to admit somehow choose to go elsewhere, proving that even a top-tier institution must occasionally watch its perfect calculations get politely declined.
Test Scores and GPA
1Middle 50% SAT for Class of 2027: 1500-1570
Verified2Average GPA of admitted students: 3.91 unweighted
Verified3Middle 50% ACT: 34-36 for admits
Verified485% of admits submit SAT
Directional5SCS average SAT Math: 790+
Single source6Engineering middle 50% SAT: 1520-1580
Verified7Tepper admits average GPA: 3.9
Verified8Test-optional admits had avg GPA 3.92
Verified998% of admits in top 10% of class
Directional10Average SAT for ED admits: 1550
Single source11International avg SAT: 1530
Verified12Female admits avg SAT: 1525
Verified13Transfer avg GPA: 3.85
Verified14MS CS avg GRE Quant: 169
Directional15Tepper MBA avg GMAT: 703
Single source16PhD applicants avg GPA: 3.95
Verified1775th percentile SAT EBRW: 770
Verified1825th percentile ACT English: 34
Verified19Homeschooled admits avg SAT: 1540
Directional20QuestBridge matches avg SAT: 1490
Single source21AP courses avg per admit: 12+
Verified22IB Diploma score avg: 42/45
Verified23A-Level predicts avg AAA/A*A*A
VerifiedTest Scores and GPA Interpretation
Carnegie Mellon's admissions statistics suggest they're not just looking for students who are bright, but for those whose academic records gleam with a near-superhuman polish, making a perfect score seem almost quaint and a single B feel like a relic from a past life.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CMUcmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 2USNEWSusnews.comVisit source
- Reference 3TEPPERtepper.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 4ADMISSIONadmission.enrollment.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 5DESIGNdesign.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 6CFAcfa.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 7DRAMACMUdramacmu.comVisit source
- Reference 8SOAsoa.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 9CSDcsd.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 10MLml.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 11CScs.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 12COLLEGETRANSITIONScollegetransitions.comVisit source
- Reference 13IVYCOACHivycoach.comVisit source
- Reference 14ENGINEERINGengineering.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 15MCSmcs.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 16MUSICmusic.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 17HEINZheinz.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 18WOMENINSCSwomeninsCS.cmu.eduVisit source
- Reference 19COLLEGEDATAcollegedata.comVisit source
- Reference 20NICHEniche.comVisit source
- Reference 21NCESnces.ed.govVisit source
- Reference 22COLLEGEBOARDcollegeboard.orgVisit source