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Pittsburgh, PA · Public · 20,370 undergraduates · urban

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Selective

Pitt combines school-specific freshman entry with a formal curriculum for experiences occurring outside ordinary courses.

Adam Jones from Kelowna / CC BY-SA 2.0

Institutional profile

Established Strong in academic standing, and steady in student experience.
Academic Strong Affordability Steady Career Steady Mobility Steady Experience Steady
Academic standing Strong
Affordability Steady
Career outcomes Steady
Mobility Steady
Student experience Steady
Admission
49.7% admitted

58,416 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
82.3%

$66,125 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets University of Pittsburgh apart

Academic design

Six undergraduate schools admit first-years directly, while several professional programs require prerequisite study before later internal admission.

Campus pattern

The Outside the Classroom Curriculum lets students document structured experiences across leadership, career development, wellness, service, and cultural engagement.

A signature opportunity

Outside the Classroom Curriculum.

Can I get in?

49.7% admitted

Applicants should choose an appropriate first-year admitting school; several professional schools cannot be entered directly from high school.

Recent applicant pool

58,416

About 50 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 49.7%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%1270–1450
11601560
ACT middle 50%29–33
2636

Of admitted students, 41% submitted an SAT, and 12% submitted an ACT. The ACT range comes from a small share of admitted students and does not describe the full class.

Academic benchmarkSelective

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of Pittsburgh, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What University of Pittsburgh weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Six undergraduate schools admit first-years directly, while several professional programs require prerequisite study before later internal admission.

02

Make institutional fit specific

Pitt combines school-specific freshman entry with a formal curriculum for experiences occurring outside ordinary courses.

03

Use the application route carefully

Applicants should choose an appropriate first-year admitting school; several professional schools cannot be entered directly from high school.

04

Give commitments a clear through-line

Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Applicants should choose an appropriate first-year admitting school; several professional schools cannot be entered directly from high school.

Regular Decisionrolling
Application routeInstitution application

$55 application fee

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Health professionsAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

NursingAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$40,084
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$30,000
Affordability profileSteady

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus publishes four merit awards, the largest reaching full tuition or more. one require a separate scholarship application. All of them renew past the first year.

Automatic consideration An award reaching $20,000 a year or more

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award reaching full tuition or more

Through the honors college · Merit · Competitive · Renews

Separate scholarship application Merit scholarship

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews

Automatic consideration An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

In the season card

These four awards, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at University of Pittsburgh

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years82.3%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one92.2%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$66,125

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Research and Experimental Psychology

Recent graduates448
Median earnings

Biology, General

Recent graduates308
Median earnings$62,744

Computer Science

Recent graduates195
Median earnings$108,680

Admits separately

What is campus life like?

University of Pittsburgh beyond the classroom

The Outside the Classroom Curriculum lets students document structured experiences across leadership, career development, wellness, service, and cultural engagement.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Six undergraduate schools admit first-years directly, while several professional programs require prerequisite study before later internal admission.

Housing

Read the residential pattern

Compare the residential setup and surrounding area with the day-to-day routine you want.

Dining

Daily life follows the campus map

Dining and nearby options matter most when they support the academic, residential, and social routine you expect.

Campus rhythm

What shapes an ordinary week

The Outside the Classroom Curriculum lets students document structured experiences across leadership, career development, wellness, service, and cultural engagement.

Clubs & interests

Turn a direction into participation

The strongest opportunities connect a clear academic or personal direction to real work beyond class.

Social life

Find the right everyday fit

The Outside the Classroom Curriculum lets students document structured experiences across leadership, career development, wellness, service, and cultural engagement.

20,370 undergraduatesMid-Atlanticurban setting95% of first-year students live on campus