Amherst College is the more selective of the two, admitting 6.8% of applicants versus 11.1% at Carnegie Mellon University. For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $11,659 per year at Amherst College versus $22,744 at Carnegie Mellon University. Admitted students post SAT middle-50% ranges of 1500–1560 at Amherst College and 1500–1560 at Carnegie Mellon University.
| Metric | Amherst College | Carnegie Mellon University |
|---|---|---|
| Overall acceptance rate | 6.8% | 11.1% |
| Early acceptance rate | 22.2% | 20.6% |
| SAT middle 50% | 1500–1560 | 1500–1560 |
| Avg unweighted GPA | 3.92 | 3.91 |
| Yield rate | 40.0% | 47.0% |
| Class size | 480 | 1,804 |
| Net price, $48,001–$75,000 income | $11,659 | $22,744 |
| Net price, over $110,000 income | $43,908 | $45,428 |
Admissions and cost data as of July 3, 2026 (CDS 2025–26 cycle), from the most recent Common Data Set, IPEDS, and College Scorecard. Rows appear only where both colleges report the statistic.
Yes. Amherst College admits 6.8% of applicants, compared with 11.1% at Carnegie Mellon University, making it the harder school to get into, based on the most recent Common Data Set.
For a family earning $48,001–$75,000, the average net price is about $11,659 per year at Amherst College and $22,744 at Carnegie Mellon University, so Amherst College is the lower-cost option at that income level (source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard/IPEDS data).
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