Carnegie Mellon University

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The CMU Rales Fellow Program is dedicated to developing a diverse community of STEM leaders from underrepresented and underresourced backgrounds by eliminating cost as a barrier to graduate education. Learn more

Tuition & Financial Aid

According to KDNuggets, 88% of data scientists hold a minimum of a master’s degree and Glassdoor reports that the national average annual starting salary for a Data Science role in the United States is $113,000. Investing in your education can open professional opportunities as well as advance your earning potential immediately upon graduation. However, we know that that financing your graduate education  can be a concern.

Graduate students may be able to work on-campus as either a research assistant (RA) or teaching assistant (TA); however, the number of positions is limited and there is no guarantee of employment. Both RAs and TAs receive an hourly wage and do not receive a monthly stipend.

The university’s central HUB student service center and the Office of Financial Aid are here to support you in achieving your educational goals. The HUB website provides a wealth of information on the graduate financial process. Still have questions? The Mellon College of Science has a HUB Liaison who is also available to assist you with the financial aid process.

The tuition for the 2023-2024 academic year is $48,775 ($24,387.50 per semester). Further information on tuition, fees and suggested education-related expenses are available through The HUB, Carnegie Mellon’s Student Enrollment Services Office. 

While the MS-DAS program is unable to offer program scholarships, Carnegie Mellon University is proud to announce the Rales Fellows Program. The CMU Rales Fellows Program is a distinctive and transformative program dedicated to developing a diverse community of exceptionally talented national STEM leaders from underrepresented or underresourced backgrounds by eliminating cost as a barrier to graduate education. Learn more

The CMU Fellowships and Scholarships Office (FSO) has a number of resources to assist in conducting a search for external scholarship options. We have listed a few specific opportunities to consider:

  • AAUW International Fellowship– fellowship awarded for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
  • AAUW Selected Professions Fellowships– awarded to women who are pursuing a full-time course of study in one of the designated degree programs where women’s participation traditionally has been low.
  • American Indian Graduate Center– provides a variety of funding opportunities for tribal students to assist with graduate studies in STEM fields.
  • Great Minds in STEM – provides fellowship opportunities for graduate students of Hispanic heritage or individuals who have demonstrated a significant service within the underserved community.
  • Hispanic Scholarship Fund– designed to assist students of Hispanic heritage to obtain a university degree including graduate students with a primary focus on STEM fields of study.
  • International Peace Scholarship – scholarship for international female students to pursue graduate study in the United States.
  • National GEM Consortium– opportunities for fellowships for individuals from underrepresented communities to pursue graduate education in applied science and engineering
  • Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans– graduate school fellowships for immigrants and children of immigrants.

Qualified U.S. citizens and permanent residents may be eligible for federal Direct student loans, including Unsubsidized and Grad Plus Loans. Information on the financial aid process and suggested timeline can be found on the Graduate Financial Aid Process website.

Private (non-federal) education loans also are also available to U.S. citizens and can help supplement federal loans. You can find private loan options by searching FASTChoice, a free loan comparison service.

There are private loan options that are available to non-U.S. citizens. While generally private education loans require non-U.S citizens to have a U.S. cosigner, there may be loan options available to qualified non-U.S. citizens without a cosigner.

We encourage you to review and understand your lending options by searching FASTChoice, a free loan comparison service. This service provides you with a list of lenders who have issued and disbursed loans to Carnegie Mellon students in the past 5 years.

Since 2010, Carnegie Mellon University has been named a Military Friendly School by GIJobs.com. The CMU Registrar will support you in processing your Veteran Education Benefits. However, you will need to apply for your benefits through the Veterans Affairs Office.

These resources will help you to learn more about benefits options, eligibility and CMU’s Veterans Community:

Carnegie Mellon has partnered with Nelnet Campus Commerce to provide students and families the ability to pay tuition and fees in monthly installments. For more information and to sign up, visit The Hub website.