Campus & Student Life at Carnegie Mellon University

Home to about 6,622 undergraduates in 2020, Carnegie Mellon is a large, private university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This urban setting might be best suited for students who like the fast-paced city life. Should you tire of the campus however, Carnegie Mellon offers a “study abroad” program. Please note, some classes/degrees offered by Carnegie Mellon can be taken “online” so keep that in mind when reviewing this report. For more context, you might also check out our Carnegie Mellon Guide to Distance and Online Learning.

Carnegie Mellon Has a Disability Services Site

Individuals with disabilities make up 8.0% of the student population at Carnegie Mellon. For more information on policies and accommodations that the university provides to ensure all students get the opportunity to participate, you can visit Carnegie Mellon Disability Services.

Carnegie Mellon for the Military

While not a "service academy", Carnegie Mellon does offer support for veterans and those seeking a career in the armed forces. Undergraduates have access to one or more ROTC programs and there is an active student veterans group on campus. For more information on policies related to veterans, you can visit Carnegie Mellon Veteran Services . For more information, check out our Carnegie Mellon for Veterans Guide.

Freshmen Living Arrangements at Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon offers on-campus housing, but freshmen are not required to take advantage of it. In the end though, most do choose to live in the dorms.

* Data compiled from students who received financial aid, including loans.

Full-time vs. Part-time Studies at Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon has a comparatively large, student body. There were 6,622 undergraduates in 2020. Full-time attendance was 6,341 (95.8%). Part-time attendance was 281 (4.2%).

Carnegie Mellon University is Ranked #17 for Overall Diversity

Compared to other colleges and universities across the nation, Carnegie Mellon receives top marks for overall diversity. We rank Carnegie Mellon #17 out of 3,451.

The chart below shows each element that we looked at to determine this ranking, and how that metric compares to the national average. 100 would indicate excellent diversity in each category, and 1 would mean poor diversity.

You can learn more about the diversity of the student body at Carnegie Mellon by looking closer at the ethnic,  gender,  age, and geographic diversity metrics from the Carnegie Mellon Diversity Guide.

Carnegie Mellon University Competes in the NCAA

Carnegie Mellon has a total of 480 student athletes, 318 men and 162 women who compete in inter-collegiate athletics.

Athletics Financing

For more information about athletics including per-team sizes, coaching and scholarships check out our Guide to Carnegie Mellon University Athletics