Carnegie Mellon University - Off-Campus Housing

Quick Stats

College Prowler Take

There’s a large selection of houses and apartments to choose from in the nearby area. Most students love their off-campus residences, but the relationship between students and their houses is not without its pains. Having your own place is a great thing for a student, and dealing with things like paying bills, getting enough heat, trekking to campus, and even being wary of suspicious housemates is not enough to dampen the experience of having your own place. Students can find themselves spread out in Oakland, Shadyside, and Squirrel Hill, but most students renting houses end up living on nearby Beeler Street. The street itself is like a small community of CMU students living off campus. On the weekends, there’s usually at least one party somewhere close by.

Finding off-campus space isn’t much of a problem. The housing department makes it trouble-free to find and secure a location and provides students with information packets and many private listings only available to the CMU community. Unfortunately, you’ll probably have to do at least ten minutes of walking to get to campus. This isn’t so bad though, especially considering the impressive condition of many of the houses and apartments. If you can find an off-campus place that is well-maintained and set up so that you don’t have to pay for utilities (Pittsburgh has freezing winters), the move from campus to a nearby apartment or house is definitely worth it. If you can find a bunch of friends to live with and drive down rent, think about moving off campus by at least your junior year. Be careful though! Students warn that campus housing can be a disaster if you don’t check out the place before you choose to rent it.

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Students Speak Out

CMUDT says: Carnegie Mellon University 2016 Computer and Information Sciences

It is convenient. You can normally... It is convenient. You can normally find a house that isn't far away, and it ends up being cheaper than a dorm room and more spacious. I recommend living off campus with a bunch of friends after your first year. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 02, 2009 Report

CMUsd says: Carnegie Mellon University 2016 Other

Get off campus ASAP! 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 02, 2009 Report

CMUHM says: Carnegie Mellon University 2016 Engineering

Off-campus housing is a great... Off-campus housing is a great option here. There is Beeler Street, literally 20 feet from campus, where probably 85 percent of the houses are student rented. It's really not hard to find a place to live. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 02, 2009 Report

CMURS says: Carnegie Mellon University 2014 Math and Statistics

It is superior to on-campus... It is superior to on-campus living. Housing is abundant and more comfortable. 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 02, 2009 Report

CMUSSb says: Carnegie Mellon University 2014 Physical Sciences

Off-campus housing is really the... Off-campus housing is really the only way to go after you're satisfied with your on-campus stay. There are tons of houses and apartments that are cheap to rent right next to campus. I walk about 15 minutes to get to class. The sizes of the houses are pretty decent, and the neighbors (especially if you live near campus) are quirky and fun—they range from professors to doctors to the occasional masseuse! 12345 Off-Campus Housing: March 01, 2009 Report

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Name: Lauren Hirata
Hometown: Palos Verdes Peninsula
Major: Creative Writing, Professional Writing

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