George Washington University (GWU) vs Carnegie Mellon

George Washington University (GWU) and Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) stand out as two prestigious institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique educational experience. GWU, located in the heart of Washington, D.C., boasts a diverse student body and a strong focus on public service, while CMU, situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is renowned for its exceptional programs in technology, engineering, and computer science. With acceptance rates of 44% and 14%, respectively, these universities attract a highly competitive pool of applicants. While GWU's popular majors include political science, international affairs, and economics, CMU excels in computer science, engineering, and business. Explore the comprehensive comparison table below to delve into further details about these universities, including student body demographics, graduation rates, and more, to determine which institution best aligns with your academic aspirations and career goals.
Carnegie Mellon University logo

Carnegie Mellon University

George Washington University logo

George Washington University

Overview

Location Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Washington, District of Columbia
Campus setting City: Large City: Large
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% 91.0%
Common app member Yes No
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 13.5% 49.7%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $75

Graduate: $75
Undergraduate: $80

Graduate: $80
SAT range 1480 - 1560 1310 - 1490
ACT range 33 - 35 30 - 34
Students submitting SAT score 48.0% 29.0%
Students submitting ACT score 22.0% 18.0%
Total number of applicants 32,896 27,236
Total number of admissions given out 4,453 13,539
Admitted students who chose to enroll 1,896 2,571
Yield rate 42.6% 19.0%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Not required
Recommendation letters Required Required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price $75,664 $78,335
Average net price $37,450 $31,240
Tuition $57,560 $59,780
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $9,614

Meal plan: $6,536
Room/dormitory: $15,260

Meal plan: $3,240
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

50.0%
Average amount $39,421
74.0%
Average amount $31,678
Students receiving federal student loan 37.0%
Average amount $4,672
30.0%
Average amount $5,150
Students taking out private loans 3.0%
Average amount $29,079
5.0%
Average amount $25,366

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 6,932
Men 50.2% Women 49.8%
11,502
Men 36.3% Women 63.7%
Graduate students 8,125
Men 62.3% Women 37.7%
14,955
Men 38.1% Women 61.9%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Moderate
Moderate
Out-of-state students 85.0% 98.7%
International students 40.0% 11.6%
Campus local/setting City: Large City: Large
Dormitory capacity 3,754 6,693
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 New Jersey Virginia California Pennsylvania

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Physical Science
  • Health Professions
  • Business
  • Social Sciences
  • Legal Profession
  • Computer and Information Science
Students to faculty ratio 5:1 12:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Outcome

Graduation rate 92.8% 83.7%
Dropout rate 3.5% 16.1%
Transferred out 2.8% N/A
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
Systems Engineering (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $160,692
  • Year 2: $146,893
  • Year 3: $153,607
Human Resources Management and Services (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,764
  • Year 2: $106,421
  • Year 3: $130,306
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $124,241
  • Year 2: $127,142
  • Year 3: $127,952
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $107,834
  • Year 2: $114,046
  • Year 3: $119,393
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $106,809
  • Year 2: $101,072
  • Year 3: $112,813
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $98,922
  • Year 2: $104,061
  • Year 3: $111,679
Public Health (Graduate/Professional Certificates)
  • Year 1: $84,962
  • Year 2: $104,192
  • Year 3: $105,816
Engineering-Related Fields (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $104,747
  • Year 2: $96,405
  • Year 3: $105,562
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,274
  • Year 2: $101,254
  • Year 3: $103,350
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,345
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $102,875

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