Cornell University vs Carnegie Mellon University

Ithaca, NY · Pittsburgh, PA · largest Scorecard gap: median debt at graduation

Scorecard match plate

Pair NY:PA

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

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

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 Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University 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.
  • Cornell University: enrollment grew +11.4% over 2013–2023; fitted +168 students/yr fitted, r² 0.87.
  • Cornell University: acceptance rate tightened -47.6% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.94).
  • Carnegie Mellon University: acceptance rate tightened -55.3% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.95).

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. Teal = better side.

Largest gaps: Cornell University vs Carnegie Mellon University

  1. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA Cornell University leads on median debt at graduation ($14,000 vs $21,750 at Carnegie Mellon University)
  2. ACCEPTANCE-RATE Cornell University leads on acceptance rate (8.8% vs 11.7% at Carnegie Mellon University)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Carnegie Mellon University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($105,360 vs $87,830 at Cornell University)

Cornell University profile · Carnegie Mellon University profile · Compare other colleges

Also on the Scorecard board

Median Debt at Graduation and other Scorecard questions

On median debt at graduation, who leads between Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University?
Cornell University leads on median debt at graduation at $14,000 versus $21,750 at Carnegie Mellon University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On acceptance rate, who leads between Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University?
Cornell University leads on acceptance rate at 8.8% versus 11.7% at Carnegie Mellon University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between Cornell University and Carnegie Mellon University?
Carnegie Mellon University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $105,360 versus $87,830 at Cornell University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.

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