Quad
Carnegie Mellon
U. Chicago

Key differences on Cost & aid

  1. 1

    U. Chicago's grants cover 32% of its full price on average, vs. 30% at Carnegie Mellon

    Aid generosity
  2. 2

    Carnegie Mellon costs about $2.1K less per year on average than U. Chicago ($58,996 vs. $61,083, all students)

    Average cost, all students

Cost & aid

Cost & aid

Average cost, aid generosity, net price by family income, sticker prices, and grants.

What students pay

Average cost, all students
Carnegie Mellon$59K
U. Chicago$61.1K
Aid generosity
Carnegie Mellon30%
U. Chicago32%
Net price, with grants
Carnegie Mellon$35.6K
U. Chicago$28.1K

Grants

First-years receiving grants
Carnegie Mellon51%
U. Chicago47%
Average grant
Carnegie Mellon$48.1K
U. Chicago$62.3K
Aid from the college
Carnegie Mellon51%
U. Chicago47%

Sticker prices

On one scale, so the bars read against each other.

Sticker price, in-state
Carnegie Mellon$83.7K
U. Chicago$90.4K
Sticker price, out-of-state
Carnegie Mellon$83.7K
U. Chicago$90.4K
Tuition & fees, in-state
Carnegie Mellon$63.8K
U. Chicago$66.9K
Tuition & fees, out-of-state
Carnegie Mellon$63.8K
U. Chicago$66.9K
First-years paying out-of-state rates
Carnegie MellonNot reported
U. ChicagoNot reported
What families at each income pay

Up to $110K: the average net price per year for students receiving federal aid, 2023–24; families who didn't file the FAFSA aren't included. Above it the published data end. For your own number, use the college's net price calculator .

Family income per year $150K

  • Carnegie MellonPublished data end at $110K

    Merit possible (proxy); averaging $12K

  • U. ChicagoPublished data end at $110K

Published (federal figure, up to $110K) EstimateBars share one scale: the largest full price.

Where need-based aid ends, merit, and published promises

MetricCarnegie MellonU. Chicago
Need-based aid up to Published data end at $110KPublished data end at $110K
Merit for students without need 9.2% got a grant without federal aid, averaging $12K (proxy)–
Published promise –No tuition under $125K; Families pay nothing toward cost under $125K · 2026–27

A college's own promise is stated for a typical family and changes yearly; where a promise and our estimate disagree, the promise wins. Merit has no income limit, so it can lower the price above the point where need-based aid ends.

Tuition guarantee & Promise program

MetricCarnegie MellonU. Chicago
Tuition guarantee NoNo
Promise program NoNo

From the colleges' Common Data Sets

MetricCarnegie MellonU. Chicago
Aid forms FAFSA · CSS Profile · NoncustodialFAFSA · College's own form
Aid priority date or deadline February 15 (deadline)February 15 (priority)
Need met, first-years –100%
Average aid package, first-years –$84,555
College grant dollars given as merit 2%7%
Aid for international students Not offered269 students, average $74.8K

All cost numbers in the table

Sources:IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey, 2023–24;IPEDS Student Financial Aid survey, 2023–24;College Scorecard, 2023–24;Carnegie Mellon University Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;Carnegie Mellon University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25 (estimated);College Scorecard, most recent release;Common Data Set, most recent release;Carnegie Mellon University Common Data Set 2025–26, 2025–26;University of Chicago Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2026 entrants;University of Chicago Common Data Set 2025–26, 2024–25;University of Chicago (2026–27), 2026–27About 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