Not Top 5 but CMU is ranked #8 in Engineering by USNWR. It's a good school and Pittsburgh is decent. Not of fan of the weather, however.

CMU is in a great city for a college student. Further, it’s in the nicest neighborhood in the city. I’m a lifelong Pittsburgher so might be a little biased.

The thing you should take a hard look at is your concern over “intense academics.” It’s an intense place. You’ll get a very good job coming out, but you’ll pay a price.

I think there was a time when kids there had a bit of a chip on their shoulders because they didn’t get into MIT or Stanford and it created this need to overcompensate. I think the school’s preeminence in robotics and now AI is causing that to change however.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburgh is the greatest city in the world for tech nerds who aren't tech bros. The most respectable FAANG employees work there.

Umm.. no.

- ExGoogler

But to OP's question, the location is fine, but CMU is an unhappy grind.

You must have been one of the less respectable ones.

Don't believe the hype is a sequel

Cmu grads do very well. Ignore all the noise.

It is very easy to get hired with a CMU CS or engineering degree. Even from Pittsburgh.