Carnegie Mellon vs Northwestern
What each college publishes, side by side. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt come from federal data.
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Carnegie Mellon UniversityPittsburgh, PACompass Score: Exceptional · Top 3%A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.Northwestern UniversityEvanston, ILCompass Score: Exceptional · Top 2%
At a glance
- For families earning up to $30,000, Northwestern has the lower price after aid: $1,764 a year, against $9,097 at Carnegie Mellon.
- Northwestern has the lower average price after aid: about $29,000 a year, against about $32,000 at Carnegie Mellon.
- Median earnings ten years after entry are higher at Carnegie Mellon: $114,862, against $89,363 at Northwestern.
Scores
Compass Score
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 3%
A+Compass Score: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 2%
Academic Excellence
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
A+Academic Excellence: Exceptional (grade A+): the top 3% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 1%
Value
BValue: Good (grade B): below the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges.
B+Value: Very good (grade B+): the top 35% of rated colleges. Letters are set by rank among rated colleges. Top 27%
The college
Category
National universities
National universities
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Evanston, IL
Setting
City
City
Students
15,596
23,203
Sports
NCAA Division III · University Athletic Association
NCAA Division I · Big Ten Conference
Admission
Admission rate
12%
8%
Average SAT
1546
1533
ACT middle 50%
34–35
33–35
Outcomes
Graduation rate
94%
95%
First-year retention
98%
98%
Median earnings 10 years after entry
$114,862
$89,363
Median debt
$21,750
$15,000
Cost
Average price after aid
About $32,000
About $29,000
Price after aid, by family income
Up to $30,000
About $9,000
About $2,000
$30,001–$48,000
About $7,000
About $6,000
$48,001–$75,000
About $14,000
About $8,000
$75,001–$110,000
About $25,000
About $18,000
Over $110,000
About $51,000
About $49,000
Top majors by graduate earnings
Bachelor's majors
- Computer science $268,121
- Electrical engineering $250,168
- Computing and information science $187,437
- Cognitive Science $162,106
- Business administration $160,783
- Information science $163,740
- Computer science $155,106
- Applied mathematics $148,740
- Industrial Engineering $138,720
- Economics $126,006
Compare with another college
The Compass Score and grades are College Compass Guide’s own ratings. Cost, admission, graduation, earnings and debt are federal data. This comparison doesn’t rank the two colleges; the figures are shown as published.