Carnegie Mellon University

Carnegie Mellon University challenges the curious and passionate to imagine and deliver work that matters.

A private, global research university, Carnegie Mellon stands among the world's most renowned educational institutions, and sets its own course. Start the journey here.

Over the past 10 years, more than 400 startups linked to CMU have raised more than $7 billion in follow-on funding. Those investment numbers are especially high because of the sheer size of Pittsburgh’s growing autonomous vehicles cluster – including Uber, Aurora, Waymo and Motional – all of which are here because of their strong ties to CMU.

With cutting-edge brain science, path-breaking performances, innovative startups, driverless cars, big data, big ambitions, Nobel and Turing prizes, hands-on learning, and a whole lot of robots, CMU doesn't imagine the future, we create it. 

Andrew Carnegie famously said, "My heart is in the work." At CMU, we think about work a little differently...

14,500+ Students

Representing 100+ Countries

1,300+ Faculty

Representing 50+ Countries

109,900+ Alumni

Representing 140+ Countries

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In Pittsburgh

Many seek Pittsburgh for being a hot spot for entrepreneurship and a model for future cities. Others come for the city's burgeoning food scene.

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And Around the Globe

You’ll find CMU locations nationwide — and worldwide. Silicon Valley. Qatar. Africa. Washington, D.C. To name a few.

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#2 Undergraduate Computer Science

U.S. News & World Report, 2023

#2 Undergraduate Research & Creative Projects

U.S. News & World Report, 2023

#7 World's Best Drama Schools

The Hollywood Reporter, 2023

#1 Graduate Information Systems

U.S. News & World Report, 2023

#4 Most Innovative Schools

U.S. News & World Report, 2023

#15 U.S. Universities

Times Higher Education, 2023

#24 University in the World

Times Higher Education, 2023

More awards & rankings

Java code on a coffee mug

First smile in an email

The Smiley :-) was created by Carnegie Mellon research professor Scott Fahlman on September 19, 1982. This was the beginning of emoticons in email, and the precursor to emojis.

;-)   :-(   :-o

digital soup can artwork

Fifteen minutes & counting

Carnegie Mellon alumnus Andy Warhol was an iconic figure in the pop art movement that explored the relationship of art to modern celebrity culture and advertising. His work included hand drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, silk screening, sculpture, film and music. A pioneer in computer-generated art, he is considered one of the most influential artists of the 20th century.

Excerpt from book: A Behavioral Theory of the Firm

Changing the way the cookie crumbles

It's never too early for women to learn the art of negotiation, and that's why a Carnegie Mellon professor has partnered with the Girl Scouts. The first Girl Scout badge for negotiation, named "Win-Win: How to Get What You Want," started with Carnegie Mellon professor Linda Babcock. To earn the badge, girls learn why and how negotiation can be useful — and it goes beyond selling cookies. Babcock has also co-authored two books on the subject: Women Don't Ask and Ask for it: How Women Can Use the Power of Negotiation to Get What They Really Want.

Kevlar® vest

Cruise controlled

In 1979, Carnegie Mellon established the nation's first Robotics Institute. Since then, professor and alumnus William "Red" Whittaker has been a robotics pioneer, founding the discipline of Field Robotics, developing unmanned vehicles to clean up the Three Mile Island nuclear accident site, and leading the Tartan Racing Team to victory in the $2 million Urban Challenge robotic autonomous vehicles race. Technologies like these can help make driving safer by preventing accidents.

Brag Book

Little brags of big ideas

Explore CMU's big ideas — a gallery of innovations and sparks of inspiration that have grown to shape the world.

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