University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Pittsburgh, PA4200 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
412-624-4141
The University of Pittsburgh is a public research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1787 as Pittsburgh Academy, it is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of higher education in the United States. The university is classified as an R1 Doctoral University with the highest research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Pitt is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), which comprises 62 leading research universities in the United States and Canada.
As of 2019, 22 Nobel laureates have been affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh as alumni, faculty members or researchers. In 1787, Pittsburgh Academy was chartered by an act of the Pennsylvania General Assembly. A board of trustees was created to govern the school.
On February 28, 1819, the academy's trustees changed the name to "Western University of Pennsylvania" to reflect its mission as a liberal arts institution. By 1819, the school had moved into a newly built three-story brick building on the corner of Third and Cherry Streets in downtown Pittsburgh.
In 1826, the university's trustees voted to move the campus to Allegheny City, across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh. The university purchased a lot on the south side of Ross Street (now Fifth Avenue) between Smithfield Street (now Grant Street) and Diamond Street (now Forbes Avenue) for $22,500. The school moved to its new location in 1828.
In 1828, the first commencement was held at the new campus. Sixteen men graduated.
In 1830, Western University of Pennsylvania was the first university in the United States to grant a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.
In 1831, the university's trustees voted to change the name to "the University of Pittsburgh." The name change took effect in the fall of 1831.
In 1836, the school moved into its first purpose-built facility, the Old Main building.
In 1862, the university's trustees voted to suspend operations due to the Civil War. The school reopened in 1866.
In 1867, the university added a medical school.
In 1868, the university moved to its current location in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
In 1869, the university's name was changed to "the Western University of Pennsylvania."
In 1908, the university's name was again changed, this time to "the University of Pittsburgh."
In 1910, the university added a School of Education.
In 1926, the university added a School of Social Work.
In 1927, the university added a School of Pharmacy.
In 1960, the university added a School of Information Sciences.
The University of Pittsburgh is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
The University of Pittsburgh is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU).
The University of Pittsburgh is classified as an R1 Doctoral University with the highest research activity by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
As of 2019, the University of Pittsburgh enrolls 29,384 students in its 17 schools and colleges. The university offers more than 200 undergraduate, graduate and professional programs.
The University of Pittsburgh is home to 22 Nobel laureates.
Quick Facts
Enrollment: 32277
Acceptance Rate: 63.88%
Type: Public, 4-year or above
Main Website: https://www.pitt.edu/
Financial Aid: https://financialaid.pitt.edu/
Annual Costs
Total Cost In-State On-Campus: $35146
Total Cost Out-State On-Campus: $49174
Return on Investment Rating
The estimated cost for four years as an undergraduate at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus is $133925.81. This includes the average cost of attendance for four years plus the interest on the average loan over a ten year repayment minus the average of grants and scholarships per student.
We then contrast this figure with average early-career and mid-career average incomes of graduates of four year programs at University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus. For graduates of University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus, we saw an average early-career income of $48000.00 and mid-career income of $67900.00. We then ranked the school's value based on how many years of mid-career income it takes to repay the educational costs.