University of Pennsylvania vs Carnegie Mellon University

Philadelphia, PA · Pittsburgh, PA · largest Scorecard gap: acceptance rate

Scorecard match plate

Pair PA:PA

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

  • PRIVATE-NP-PAIR Private nonprofit pair
  • SAME-STATE Same state · PA
  • ACCEPT-TIGHT Tight admission
  • NET-SPLIT Net-price split
  • EARN-PAR Earnings near-par
  • DEBT-SPLIT Debt split
  • 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-1SIDE · brisk · 2013–2023 decade-path stamp below, not a ranking or recommendation.

Decade path · College Scorecard

Headcount surged on one side only

ENROLL-1SIDE · brisk · 2013–2023

Carnegie Mellon University posted a brisk directional enrollment rise over 2013–2023 while its peer's size series stays a range, and both acceptance rates tightened. Do not read this as parallel growth under the same selectivity story.

  • Carnegie Mellon University: enrollment grew +23.2% over 2013–2023; fitted +137 students/yr fitted, r² 0.97.
  • University of Pennsylvania: enrollment ranged 10,507–10,774 (2013–2023, 11 points) without a stable fitted direction.
  • University of Pennsylvania: acceptance rate tightened -52.0% across 2013–2023 (r² 0.89).
  • 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: University of Pennsylvania vs Carnegie Mellon University

  1. ACCEPTANCE-RATE University of Pennsylvania leads on acceptance rate (5.4% vs 11.7% at Carnegie Mellon University)
  2. MEDIAN-DEBT-AT-GRA University of Pennsylvania leads on median debt at graduation ($15,715 vs $21,750 at Carnegie Mellon University)
  3. MEDIAN-EARNINGS-(6 Carnegie Mellon University leads on median earnings (6 yr) ($105,360 vs $90,555 at University of Pennsylvania)

University of Pennsylvania profile · Carnegie Mellon University profile · Compare other colleges

Acceptance Rate and other Scorecard questions

On acceptance rate, who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University?
University of Pennsylvania leads on acceptance rate at 5.4% versus 11.7% at Carnegie Mellon University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median debt at graduation, who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University?
University of Pennsylvania leads on median debt at graduation at $15,715 versus $21,750 at Carnegie Mellon University. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
On median earnings (6 yr), who leads between University of Pennsylvania and Carnegie Mellon University?
Carnegie Mellon University leads on median earnings (6 yr) at $105,360 versus $90,555 at University of Pennsylvania. 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