Carnegie Mellon & WashU Research Notes
carnegie_mellon_washu.md
Carnegie Mellon & WashU Research Notes
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)
- Total applicants: 35,000
- Overall acceptance rate: 11.7%
- ED acceptance rate: 22.0%
- RD acceptance rate: 8.5%
- Class size: 1,700
- Yield: 47%
Academics
- SAT middle 50%: 1510–1560
- ACT middle 50%: 34–36
- Avg unweighted GPA: 3.91
- Top 10% of HS class: 90%
- Testing policy: Test-optional
Round Strategy
- ED (binding) — 22.0% ED rate vs 8.5% RD rate (~2.6x advantage)
- Does not offer EA
Demographics
- Women: 38.0%, Asian: 16.5%, Black: 3.2%, Hispanic: 4.6%, White: 29.8%, International: 38.3%
Financial Aid / Net Cost
| Income Bracket | Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $18,265 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $14,000 |
| Over $110,000 | $45,428 |
Athletics
- NCAA Division III — no athletic scholarships
- Small varsity program
Notable
Acceptance rate varies dramatically by school: School of Computer Science (SCS) ~3%, College of Fine Arts (CFA) ~8%, Tepper (Business) ~12%, Dietrich (Liberal Arts) ~15%. Highest international enrollment percentage among elite non-HYPSM schools (38.3%). Top globally for CS, robotics, drama, and design. Less generous financial aid than peers.
Washington University in St. Louis (WashU)
Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)
- Total applicants: 32,754
- Overall acceptance rate: 12.1%
- ED acceptance rate: 30.0%
- RD acceptance rate: 8.0%
- Class size: 1,850
- Yield: 35%
Academics
- SAT middle 50%: 1500–1570
- ACT middle 50%: 33–35
- Avg unweighted GPA: 3.92
- Top 10% of HS class: 93%
- Testing policy: Test-optional
Round Strategy
- Offers both ED I and ED II (binding)
- ED rate 30.0% vs RD rate 8.0% (~3.75x advantage)
Demographics
- Women: 50.8%, Asian: 13.6%, Black: 5.6%, Hispanic: 4.6%, White: 51.8%, International: 17.0%
Financial Aid / Net Cost
| Income Bracket | Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0–$30,000 | $8,147 |
| $30,001–$48,000 | $5,800 |
| Over $110,000 | $44,941 |
Athletics
- NCAA Division III — no athletic scholarships
- Strong intramural culture
Notable
Offers ED I and ED II with a large ED premium (30% vs 8% RD). Strong pre-med pipeline (Olin School of Business and medical research). Generous financial aid for high-income families relative to peers. Low yield (35%) — heavily used as a safety/backup for Ivy applicants.
Sources
- Carnegie Mellon Common Data Set 2024–2025
- Washington University CDS 2024–2025
- research_colleges.json simulation data