Does Carnegie Mellon require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

As of November 2026: Yes -- Carnegie Mellon requires a test score from fall 2026 applicants and beyond, which covers students who start college in fall 2027, except in the College of Fine Arts, which remains test optional; this is the published policy as of November 2026. The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT in fall 2023 scored 1500 to 1570.

Carnegie Mellon calls its policy test flexible, which means a score is required, so here is what that means for your family and what to do next.

By Nick Standlea, Test Prep Gurus. Figures may be quoted with attribution to Test Prep Gurus.

The middle half of SAT senders scored 1500 to 1570. Among enrolled first-years who sent an ACT, the middle half scored 34 to 35, based on the fall 2023 class.

Carnegie Mellon admitted 11.4 percent of applicants. In fall 2023, the college received 33707 applications and admitted 3843 students.

51 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT. Another 17 percent sent an ACT, so the SAT was the more common choice in that class.

What is Carnegie Mellon's testing policy?

This is the policy as Carnegie Mellon publishes it on its own admissions page.

College	Policy	Applies to	In the college's words	Source
Carnegie Mellon University	required	fall 2026 applicants and beyond (covers fall 2027); College of Fine Arts remains test optional	Test flexible means that students are required to submit test scores in order to complete their application, however, they may choose which type of test(s) they prefer to submit.	Source

Required means a score must be sent. Optional means the college reads a score if one is sent.

What are Carnegie Mellon's scores, odds and costs?

Score bands describe enrolled first-years who sent that test in fall 2023. Prices are for a full year.

Measure	Value
applicants, fall 2023	33707
admits, fall 2023	3843
admit rate, percent	11.4
SAT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	1500
SAT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	1570
ACT 25th percentile, enrolled submitters	34
ACT 75th percentile, enrolled submitters	35
share of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT, percent	51
share who sent an ACT, percent	17
application fee, dollars	75
full price of a year, dollars	83654
average net price after aid, dollars	31944

Bands describe enrolled first-years who submitted that test in the fall 2023 class, the latest federal figures.

Does Carnegie Mellon require the SAT or ACT in 2027?

Yes -- Carnegie Mellon requires a test score from fall 2026 applicants and beyond, which covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year who start college in fall 2027. The college calls this policy "test flexible." In its own words, "Test flexible means that students are required to submit test scores in order to complete their application, however, they may choose which type of test(s) they prefer to submit."

There are two details every parent should know. The School of Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT specifically. The College of Fine Arts remains test optional.

So the first step is simple. Look at the school inside Carnegie Mellon your child plans to apply to, and match the test plan to it. For a closer look at the scores, see our companion page, "What SAT or ACT score do you need for Carnegie Mellon?"

Could the policy change before fall 2027?

Carnegie Mellon's test flexible rule is the published policy as of November 2026, with no end date stated. Colleges usually announce changes for the next cycle in the spring.

For juniors planning ahead, our rule is to plan as if a score will be needed. That way, nothing a college announces later can catch your family off guard. We also tell families to reread the college's standardized testing page themselves each spring, since that page is where the policy lives.

What scores do enrolled first-years carry?

The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1500 to 1570, and the middle half of ACT senders scored 34 to 35. These figures come from the fall 2023 class, the latest federal file. In that class, 51 percent of enrolled first-years sent an SAT and 17 percent sent an ACT.

A band describes the students who enrolled and sent a score. It is not a line your child must clear. Some students scored below the band and still enrolled, and some scored above it.

The odds are tight. In fall 2023, Carnegie Mellon received 33707 applications and admitted 3843 students, an admit rate of 11.4 percent. The application fee is 75 dollars. The full price of a year is 83654 dollars, and the average net price after aid is 31944 dollars. The college publishes a net price calculator, and we tell families to run their own numbers there early.

Should my child send a score to Carnegie Mellon?

Every Carnegie Mellon applicant outside the College of Fine Arts sends a score, so the real question is only how strong it is. Our rule is simple: a score inside or above the band is one to send with confidence. If a score sits below the band, we tell families to keep preparing and test again before the deadline.

For the School of Computer Science, that score must come from the SAT or ACT. We tell those students to pick the test that suits them best and focus on it.

For College of Fine Arts applicants, testing is optional. Even so, we tell families that at a selective test-optional school it is nearly always good to have a score, because a strong score bolsters the odds of getting in and most merit scholarships are keyed to one. A score below the band there is one to think hard about before sending.

What should we do this month?

Sit a free full-length mock SAT and a free full-length mock ACT with Test Prep Gurus this month, then compare each result with the 1500 to 1570 SAT band and the 34 to 35 ACT band. The mock that feels better is usually the test to choose.

Next, pick a test date that counts and plan 6 to 12 weeks of prep before it. Prepare for the whole test every sitting, not just the section that feels weakest. Our students do best when every part of the test is ready on the same day.

To book a free mock SAT or a free mock ACT, call us at 949.229.5359 or visit https://www.prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step. We will help you read the results and build a plan that fits your child.

Questions parents ask

Does Carnegie Mellon require the SAT or ACT for fall 2027?
Yes -- Carnegie Mellon requires a test score from fall 2026 applicants and beyond, which covers high school seniors in the 2026-27 school year who start college in fall 2027.

Is the College of Fine Arts at Carnegie Mellon test optional?
The College of Fine Arts remains test optional.

Which tests does Carnegie Mellon's School of Computer Science accept?
The School of Computer Science requires the SAT or ACT specifically.

What SAT and ACT scores do Carnegie Mellon students have?
The middle half of enrolled first-years who sent an SAT scored 1500 to 1570, and the middle half of ACT senders scored 34 to 35.

Ready to plan the next test date? Free mock SAT and free mock ACT at Test Prep Gurus, then a plan built on the result: prepgurus.com/take-the-next-step or 949.229.5359.

Method and sources: The policy comes from Carnegie Mellon's own standardized testing page, which names the policy "test flexible" and says it applies to fall 2026 applicants and beyond, with the College of Fine Arts remaining test optional. The SAT and ACT bands describe the middle half of enrolled first-years who submitted that test in fall 2023, the latest federal file, along with applicant and admit counts from that year. They do not describe admitted students or every applicant. Prices come from the College Scorecard.