Carnegie Mellon Average GPA (3.89) & Acceptance Rate (12%)

Q: What percent of applicants does Carnegie Mellon accept?

Carnegie Mellon University's acceptance rate was 12% for fall 2024: it admitted 3,959 of 33,941 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.

Q: What GPA do most Carnegie Mellon students have?

96.5% of Carnegie Mellon University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (43.9%) had a 4.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

Acceptance rate: 12% for fall 2024

Average high school GPA: 3.89, as reported by the college for 2025–26

SAT, middle 50%: 730–770 reading and writing, 770–800 math

ACT, middle 50%: 34–35 composite

Average net price: $32,964 a year (2022–23)

Carnegie Mellon GPA calculator

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A guide based on reported data, not a prediction. Carnegie Mellon University reviews each application.

Carnegie Mellon University average GPA

Carnegie Mellon University reported an average high school GPA of 3.89 for its first-year students who submitted one (100% did), in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether it's weighted or unweighted.

How their high school GPAs were spread:

High school GPA	Share of first-year students
4.0	43.9%
3.75–3.99	41.7%
3.50–3.74	10.9%
3.25–3.49	2.2%
3.00–3.24	1%
2.50–2.99	0.3%

First-year students who submitted a high school GPA, as Carnegie Mellon University reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. None had a GPA below 2.50. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

An average, not a cutoffColleges calculate GPA in different ways, so these figures can't be compared directly with your own GPA.

Carnegie Mellon University acceptance rate

Carnegie Mellon University admitted 3,959 of 33,941 first-year applicants for fall 2024, an acceptance rate of 12%, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Carnegie Mellon University is a private nonprofit 4-year university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with 7,377 undergraduates.

SAT and ACT scores

Scores of the first-year students who entered Carnegie Mellon University in fall 2024 and submitted them. Half of them scored between the 25th and 75th percentiles:

Test	25th percentile	Median	75th percentile
SAT Reading and Writing	730	750	770
SAT Math	770	790	800
ACT Composite	34	35	35
ACT English	33	35	36
ACT Math	34	35	36

53% submitted SAT scores and 22% submitted ACT scores, as Carnegie Mellon University reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

The U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard estimates an average SAT score of 1546 for admitted students.

Admission requirements

What Carnegie Mellon University looks at when it decides on first-year applicants, as it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024:

Admission factor	Status
High School GPAYour cumulative high school grade point average.	Required
High School RecordYour transcript: the courses you took and the grades you earned.	Required
RecommendationsLetters of recommendation from teachers, counselors, or other mentors.	Required
Essay or Personal StatementA personal statement or essay written for your application.	Required
High School Class RankYour ranking relative to other students in your graduating class.	Considered if submitted
College Preparatory ProgramCompletion of a college preparatory curriculum in high school.	Considered if submitted
Test ScoresSAT or ACT scores.	Considered if submitted
Demonstration of CompetenciesEvidence of specific skills through portfolios, auditions, or other demonstrations.	Considered if submitted
Work ExperiencePaid or volunteer work.	Considered if submitted
Other TestsOther admission tests, such as the Wonderlic or WISC-III.	Not considered
Legacy StatusWhether a parent or other relative attended the college.	Not considered

Requirements can differ by program and applicant type, so check with Carnegie Mellon University's admissions office before you apply.

AP credit

Carnegie Mellon University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, according to what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

It doesn't award credit for life experience.

Average net price

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average net price of $32,964 a year at Carnegie Mellon University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Net price is the full cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Frequently asked questions

Is a 3.5 GPA good enough for Carnegie Mellon?

It would be on the low side there: 3.5% of Carnegie Mellon University's first-year students who submitted a GPA had one below 3.5, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set, and it admitted 12% of applicants for fall 2024. Colleges calculate GPA in different ways, so compare on the same scale and look at your courses and test scores too.

Does Carnegie Mellon require the SAT or ACT?

Check Carnegie Mellon University's admissions website for the current rule: testing policies change from year to year. Carnegie Mellon University was test optional: it considered SAT or ACT scores if you sent them, according to its filing with the U.S. Department of Education (fall 2024). Of its fall 2024 first-year students, 53% sent SAT scores and 22% sent ACT scores.

What are Carnegie Mellon's SAT and ACT score ranges?

The middle 50% of Carnegie Mellon University's fall 2024 first-year students who sent scores had SAT 730–770 in reading and writing and 770–800 in math; ACT composite 34–35, according to what the college reported to the U.S. Department of Education. A quarter scored below that range.

How selective is Carnegie Mellon?

Highly selective: fewer than 1 in 4 applicants got in. Carnegie Mellon University admitted 12% of first-year applicants for fall 2024.

What percent of applicants does Carnegie Mellon accept?

Carnegie Mellon University's acceptance rate was 12% for fall 2024: it admitted 3,959 of 33,941 first-year applicants, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education.

Is there a minimum GPA for Carnegie Mellon?

Carnegie Mellon University doesn't set a minimum GPA we could verify. Its first-year students averaged 3.89, as reported by the college in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether that average is weighted or unweighted.

How much does GPA matter at Carnegie Mellon?

A lot: Carnegie Mellon University requires high school GPA, high school record, recommendations and essay or personal statement. It considers high school class rank, college preparatory program, test scores, demonstration of competencies and work experience if you send them. It doesn't consider other tests and legacy status. That's what it reported to the U.S. Department of Education for fall 2024.

What GPA do most Carnegie Mellon students have?

96.5% of Carnegie Mellon University's first-year students who submitted a high school GPA had 3.50 or higher, and the largest group (43.9%) had a 4.0, as the college reported in its 2025–26 Common Data Set. The college doesn't say whether these GPAs are weighted or unweighted.

What is the average net price at Carnegie Mellon?

First-time, full-time undergraduates who received grant or scholarship aid paid an average of $32,964 a year at Carnegie Mellon University in 2022–23, according to the U.S. Department of Education. Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships.

Can you get college credit for AP scores at Carnegie Mellon?

Yes. Carnegie Mellon University awards college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) exams, it said in its report to the U.S. Department of Education for 2024–25. The college decides which exams and scores earn credit.

Before you apply, check Carnegie Mellon's official admissions site: requirements can differ by program and change from year to year.

Sources

College Navigator: Carnegie Mellon UniversityU.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, IPEDS (2024–25 provisional data): admissions, test scores and admission factors for fall 2024, undergraduate enrollment for fall 2024, net price for 2022–23 and credit policies for 2024–25.
Carnegie Mellon University Common Data Set 2025–26Carnegie Mellon University: average high school GPA of first-year students and how their GPAs were spread.
College Scorecard dataAverage SAT: an estimate by the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard (June 10, 2026 release).

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