Clarkson University vs Carnegie Mellon

Clarkson University and Carnegie Mellon University, two esteemed institutions of higher learning, offer distinct educational experiences. Clarkson, nestled in the scenic town of Potsdam, New York, boasts a close-knit community and a strong focus on engineering, business, and health sciences. Carnegie Mellon, located in the vibrant city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is renowned for its cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary programs, and strengths in computer science, engineering, and the arts. With varying acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates, these universities cater to different academic interests and aspirations. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to discover which university aligns best with your unique goals and preferences.
Carnegie Mellon University logo

Carnegie Mellon University

Clarkson University logo

Clarkson University

Overview

Location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Potsdam, New York
Campus setting City: Large Town: Remote
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Private (Non Profit) Private (Non Profit)
Calendar system Semester Semester
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 97.0% 80.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 13.5% 74.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $50
SAT range 1480 - 1560 1180 - 1380
ACT range 33 - 35 25 - 32
Students submitting SAT score 48.0% 51.0%
Students submitting ACT score 22.0% 11.0%
Total number of applicants 32,896 7,011
Total number of admissions given out 4,453 5,229
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,896 740
Yield rate 42.6% 14.2%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $75,664 $74,716
Average net price $37,450 $31,413
Tuition $57,560 $53,100
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,614

Meal plan: $6,536
Room/dormitory: $8,726

Meal plan: $7,518
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

50.0%
Average amount $39,421
100.0%
Average amount $38,981
Students receiving federal student loan 37.0%
Average amount $4,672
71.0%
Average amount $5,323
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $29,079
16.0%
Average amount $16,547

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,932
Men 50.2% Women 49.8%
2,852
Men 69.3% Women 30.7%
Graduate students 8,125
Men 62.3% Women 37.7%
1,101
Men 55.4% Women 44.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Low
Out-of-state students 85.0% 34.8%
International students 40.0% 8.6%
Campus local/setting City: Large Town: Remote
Dormitory capacity 3,754 2,482
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from California Pennsylvania New Jersey New York Virginia New York Mississippi Connecticut Vermont New Hampshire

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Physical Science
  • Engineering
  • Engineering Technologies
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences
Students to faculty ratio 5:1 13:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 92.8% 75.6%
Dropout rate 3.5% 7.1%
Transferred out 2.8% 17.1%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $161,723
  • Year 2: $160,116
  • Year 3: $201,541
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $139,390
  • Year 2: $133,383
  • Year 3: $150,136
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,615
  • Year 2: $107,758
  • Year 3: $132,201
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $116,935
  • Year 2: $114,223
  • Year 3: $129,112
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,283
  • Year 2: $120,549
  • Year 3: $122,667
Finance and Financial Management Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $95,295
  • Year 3: $112,628
Design and Applied Arts (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $85,041
  • Year 2: $89,859
  • Year 3: $106,086
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $91,653
  • Year 2: $94,940
  • Year 3: $104,312
Statistics (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $89,636
  • Year 2: $88,506
  • Year 3: $103,853
Systems Science and Theory (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $82,123
  • Year 2: $84,393
  • Year 3: $103,805
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $114,346
  • Year 2: $107,376
  • Year 3: $116,722
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,757
  • Year 2: $95,295
  • Year 3: $105,649
Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,495
  • Year 2: $78,074
  • Year 3: $94,384
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,482
  • Year 2: $76,460
  • Year 3: $85,200
Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $80,827
  • Year 2: $77,715
  • Year 3: $83,602
Chemical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $58,898
  • Year 2: $68,858
  • Year 3: $78,529
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $62,862
  • Year 2: $71,575
  • Year 3: $76,752
Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $70,118
  • Year 2: $70,009
  • Year 3: $76,112
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $51,273
  • Year 3: $75,843
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $65,036
  • Year 2: $67,748
  • Year 3: $73,468

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