Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Duke is 2.4× more selective than Carnegie Mellon
Acceptance rate - 2
Duke's yield is 12 pts higher than Carnegie Mellon's
Yield rate - 3
Duke's SAT midpoint is 5 points higher than Carnegie Mellon's
SAT midpoint
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- DukeUltra selective
- Carnegie MellonUltra selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1400–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 30–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- DukeTest-optional
- Carnegie MellonTest-optional
How they read a record
Duke
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required.
Carnegie Mellon
, GPA, and class rank are all very important; tests are considered. 86% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher, so and rarely sets an applicant apart; the courses behind it carry more of the weight.
What they look at
| Factor | Duke | Carnegie Mellon |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Required | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Very important |
| College-prep program | Required | Considered |
| Recommendations | Required | Important |
| Essay | Required | Important |
| Legacy status | Considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Considered |
| English proficiency test | Not considered | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:Duke University (Fall 2026), Fall 2026;IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;Duke University Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;Carnegie Mellon University (Fall 2025), Fall 2025;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why