PlainCollege

Carnegie Mellon University vs Columbia University in the City of New York

Pittsburgh, PA · New York, NY · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair PA:NY

PRIVATE-NP-PAIR · CROSS-STATE · ACCEPT-TIGHT · NET-SPLIT · EARN-SPLIT · DEBT-PAR · COMPLETE-HIGH · GAP-ACCEPT

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • CROSS-STATE PA × NY
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-SPLIT Earnings split
  • DEBT-PAR Debt near-par
  • COMPLETE-HIGH High completion
  • GAP-ACCEPT Largest gap · Acceptance Rate

Instrument codes from this pair's College Scorecard ownership, geography, acceptance, net price, earnings, debt, and completion, plus the ENROLL-RACE · single · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Both enrollments grew, different paces

ENROLL-RACE · single · 2013–2023

Undergraduate headcount rose at both Carnegie Mellon University and Columbia University in the City of New York across 2013–2023 on similar paces, while acceptance rates tightened on both sides, a growth-under-squeeze pattern rather than a pure size race.

  • Carnegie Mellon University: enrollment grew +23.2% over 2013–2023; fitted +137 students/yr fitted, r² 0.97.
  • Columbia University in the City of New York: enrollment grew +11.7% over 2013–2023; fitted +92 students/yr fitted, r² 0.74.
  • Carnegie Mellon University: acceptance rate tightened -55.3% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.95).
  • Columbia University in the City of New York: acceptance rate tightened -43.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.79).

College Scorecard institution series; dollars are nominal. Direction claims require r² ≥ 0.40 on the fitted annual slope, otherwise the page reports the observed range. Descriptive history, not a recommendation.

Scorecard metrics

Cards ordered by relative gap on this pair · 1 tied metrics omitted. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Carnegie Mellon University vs Columbia University in the City of New York

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Columbia University in the City of New York leads on acceptance rate (4.0% vs 11.7% at Carnegie Mellon University)
  2. AVG-NET-PRICE Columbia University in the City of New York leads on avg net price ($21,590 vs $31,944 at Carnegie Mellon University)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Carnegie Mellon University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($105,360 vs $88,535 at Columbia University in the City of New York)

Carnegie Mellon University profile · Columbia University in the City of New York profile · Compare other colleges

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between Carnegie Mellon University and Columbia University in the City of New York?▼
Columbia University in the City of New York leads on acceptance rate at 4.0% versus 11.7% at Carnegie Mellon University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On avg net price, who leads between Carnegie Mellon University and Columbia University in the City of New York?▼
Columbia University in the City of New York leads on avg net price at $21,590 versus $31,944 at Carnegie Mellon University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Carnegie Mellon University and Columbia University in the City of New York?▼
Carnegie Mellon University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $105,360 versus $88,535 at Columbia University in the City of New York. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard College Scorecard institution outcomes (earnings, completion, debt); acceptance rate focus for this pair · 2025