Address: 4200 Fifth Avenue, 15260 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Medicine and Health Sciences, Philosophy, Engineering
The University of Pittsburgh began in 1787 as the Pittsburgh Academy, which Britannica describes as housed in a three-room log schoolhouse. It became the Western University of Pittsburgh in 1819 and took the name University of Pittsburgh in 1908. Today it is a state-related research university and a member of the Association of American Universities.
The Pittsburgh campus lies in the Oakland district, and regional campuses operate in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown and Titusville. According to federal IPEDS data, fall 2024 enrolment was 35,724 students, 25,900 undergraduates and 9,824 postgraduates, and the university reports 31,237 students on the Pittsburgh campus in fall 2025. Its schools include Arts & Sciences, Business, Computing & Information, Dental Medicine, Education, Engineering, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public & International Affairs, Public Health and Social Work. Its centrepiece is the 42-story Cathedral of Learning, a Gothic Revival skyscraper listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.
The National Science Foundation ranked Pitt 17th among US universities for R&D expenditure in fiscal year 2023, at about $1.4 billion, and the university reports $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2024. Jonas Salk conducted his polio vaccine research while on the medical school faculty, and Pitt describes the result as the world’s first polio vaccine. Alumni include the dancer and actor Gene Kelly and the novelist Michael Chabon, and Pitt students have won eight Rhodes and ten Marshall Scholarships. The Panthers, who compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference, field 19 varsity teams.
Domains taught:
AI and Machine Learning, Bioengineering, Data Analytics, Engineering, Life Sciences, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Strong affiliation with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), a leading academic medical center. Highly ranked philosophy department. Member of AAU.
Research:
A leading research university with significant strengths in medical research (e.g., vaccine development, organ transplantation), health sciences, philosophy, engineering, and public health. High research activity.
Famous Alumnis:
Jonas Salk, Gene Kelly, August Wilson, Dan Marino, Fred Rogers (honorary/faculty)
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
10000
Current students***:
34000
Foreign students***:
5%
Cumulative former students***:
330000
Pros
Excellent medical school and health sciences programs, strong research in specific fields like philosophy, located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland cultural district.
Cons
Large student population, urban campus, state funding can be variable.
Best For
Students seeking strong programs in health sciences, medicine, philosophy, or engineering, often valuing research opportunities in collaboration with a major medical center.
University at Buffalo is a public university in New York with engineering, health sciences and pharmacy as main fields, the closest match to Pitt's health and engineering mix.
Temple University in Philadelphia is a public university in Pennsylvania offering arts (Tyler School), law and business (Fox School).
Drexel University, private and based in Philadelphia, combines engineering, health sciences and business (LeBow).
Carnegie Mellon University sits in the same city, Pittsburgh, as a private institution focused on computer science, robotics and engineering.
West Virginia University in Morgantown is a public university with engineering (energy resources) and forensic and investigative science among its fields.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom is public, working in medicine, veterinary medicine and engineering.
Monash University in Australia is a public university with medicine, engineering, information technology, business and law as main fields.
Université de Montréal, a public university in Canada, lists health sciences, artificial intelligence and law.
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands is public and works in neurosciences, artificial intelligence and environmental sciences.
Universität Basel in Switzerland is a public university with life sciences, nanoscience, physics and chemistry as main fields.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
What was Pitt called when it began?
It started in 1787 as the Pittsburgh Academy, which became the Western University of Pittsburgh in 1819. The name University of Pittsburgh dates from 1908.
What does state-related status mean at Pitt?
The university describes itself as a state-related research university. Funding arrangements and tuition rates are explained on the pitt.edu pages for affordability and consumer information.
Where are the Pitt campuses located?
The main campus is in the Oakland district of Pittsburgh. Regional campuses are located in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown and Titusville.
What is the Cathedral of Learning?
It is a 42-story Gothic Revival skyscraper at the heart of the Pittsburgh campus and is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. Pitt describes it as the tallest educational building in the Western Hemisphere.
What part did Pitt play in the polio vaccine?
Jonas Salk conducted his polio vaccine research while on the faculty of the university's medical school. Pitt describes the result as the world's first polio vaccine.
How many students does Pitt have?
Fall 2024 enrolment was 35,724, including 25,900 undergraduates and 9,824 postgraduates, according to federal IPEDS data. The university reports 31,237 students on the Pittsburgh campus in fall 2025.
Which teams represent Pitt, and where are admission details?
The Pittsburgh Panthers compete in the Atlantic Coast Conference and field 19 varsity teams. Entry requirements and costs are listed on the admissions pages at pitt.edu.
Biomedical Sensors, Engineering, Medical, Medical Devices, Quality Management, User-Centered Design
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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