Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
A 0–100 composite of ROI, graduate earnings, net price, debt and graduation rate. How it’s scored.
Estimated for a typical student paying the average net price over 4 years.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
The numbers behind the verdict
Lifetime ROI: the long view
Cumulative net gain over a high-school-only earner at different career lengths, with tuition and debt interest already subtracted. Built on IRS-verified federal earnings — not self-reported surveys.
Conservative: holds year-5 earnings flat (no raises). Adjust the assumptions, or see the highest 20-year ROI colleges.
Equity & access
Who the college serves and whether the payoff reaches everyone — earnings ten years after starting (IRS-linked), with access measures from federal enrollment data.
19% gap between the two groups
8% gap between the two groups
Undergraduate enrollment by race/ethnicity. Federal data does not report earnings by race.
Net price by family income
What students actually pay after grants and scholarships, by household income as of 2024.
| Family income | Average net price / yr |
|---|---|
| Family income $0–$30k | $9,097 |
| $30k–$48k | $6,994 |
| $48k–$75k | $14,468 |
| $75k–$110k | $24,865 |
| $110k+ | $51,480 |
How Carnegie Mellon University compares
This college against the Pennsylvania and national averages — higher earnings and lower cost/debt are better.
Graduate earnings over time
Median earnings of Carnegie Mellon University students 10 years after entering, by cohort year as of 2024.
Best-paying majors at Carnegie Mellon University
Fields of study ranked by their own ROI — earnings five years after graduating against the cost and debt. Click a major for the deep dive.
| Major | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | Associate's | $251,632 | $21,442 | +2,782% | Strong return |
| Finance and Financial Management Services | Associate's | $177,848 | — | +1,979% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Associate's | $183,814 | $22,224 | +1,828% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Associate's | $159,088 | $23,250 | +1,477% | Strong return |
| Statistics | Associate's | $155,025 | $21,000 | +1,438% | Strong return |
| Systems Science and Theory | Associate's | $133,740 | $23,250 | +1,126% | Strong return |
| Economics | Associate's | $132,407 | $22,020 | +1,116% | Strong return |
| Chemical Engineering | Associate's | $122,523 | $23,125 | +972% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Associate's | $115,666 | $22,777 | +879% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Associate's | $106,890 | — | +869% | Strong return |
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | Certificate | $193,021 | $110,500 | +781% | Strong return |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | Certificate | $176,502 | $61,500 | +776% | Strong return |
| Computer and Information Sciences, General | Certificate | $166,594 | $61,305 | +710% | Strong return |
| Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management | Certificate | $156,313 | $51,970 | +659% | Strong return |
| Chemistry | Associate's | $92,818 | — | +649% | Strong return |
| Rhetoric and Composition/Writing Studies | Associate's | $92,686 | — | +646% | Strong return |
| Materials Sciences | Associate's | $82,065 | — | +480% | Strong return |
| Health and Medical Administrative Services | Certificate | $119,019 | — | +479% | Strong return |
| Civil Engineering | Certificate | $111,544 | — | +421% | Strong return |
| Public Policy Analysis | Certificate | $114,079 | $41,000 | +384% | Strong return |
| Architecture | Associate's | $75,908 | — | +384% | Strong return |
| Mechanical Engineering | Certificate | $109,987 | $34,193 | +363% | Strong return |
| Computer Software and Media Applications | Certificate | $101,107 | $111,064 | +234% | Strong return |
| Public Administration | Certificate | $83,781 | $40,772 | +172% | Strong return |
| Psychology, General | Associate's | $59,771 | — | +131% | Strong return |
Calculate your own ROI
Adjust the assumptions for your situation — the verdict, break-even and chart update live.
ROI at Carnegie Mellon University
Estimates from federal data; your result will vary. How this works.
Admissions & profile
Location
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.
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