Universities in Pittsburgh, USA
- Rankings & Reviews -

For business studies see our separate ranking of business schools in Pittsburgh, USA

Latest ranking updates related to universities in Pittsburgh
  • 06 Mar, 2024: Scimago Institutions published most recent results of Scimago Institutions Rankings. Includes 3 universities from Pittsburgh.
  • 25 Jan, 2024: Latest THE World’s Most International Universities from THE Times Higher Education, UK. 2 universities from Pittsburgh appear in this ranking.
  • 19 Dec, 2023: Publication of URAP World Ranking - University Ranking by Academic Performance. University of Pittsburgh with highest ranking among universities in Pittsburgh ranked #61.
  • 15 Dec, 2023: Latest Global Ranking of Sport Science Schools and Departments - ShanghaiRanking (Sport Science) from ShanghaiRanking Consultancy. University of Pittsburgh in position #42.

Frequently appearing on numerous listings for Most Liveable Cities in the World, we have Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its low living costs, growing job market, and vibrant Downtown area make moving to Pittsburgh an appealing choice for all kinds of people.

Students will find themselves spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing their university, as Pittsburgh offers 8 excellent choices, each one delivering a different kind of academic experience.

The city of Pittsburgh actually has its own dialect of English, Pittsburghese, which, among other things, incorporates words from the languages of some of the original European immigrants to the region, Polish, Ukrainian, German, Irish, Welsh... It's nothing that an international student need worry about though, just a few small variations here and there. Much of the local food specialties also reflect the tastes of those immigrants, the pierogies are superb!


Rankings of universities in Pittsburgh, USA 2024

Student satisfaction: 4.2 / 5.0 (based on 328 student ratings)
Card image

  • #15 
  • #24 
THE World University Rankings
[Published 27 September, 2023]
  • #21 
  • #21 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #17 
  • #52 
QS World University Rankings
[Published 27 June, 2023]
Show 31 more rankings of Carnegie Mellon University and subject specific rankings for 10 subjects

  • #47 
  • #145 
THE World University Rankings
[Published 27 September, 2023]
  • #83 
  • #83 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #43 
  • #222 
QS World University Rankings
[Published 27 June, 2023]
Show 29 more rankings of University of Pittsburgh and subject specific rankings for 11 subjects

  • #264 
  • #264 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #310 
  • #2070 
Scimago Institutions Rankings
[Published 06 March, 2024]
  • #268 
  • #1758 
US News: Best Global Universities
[Published 24 October, 2022]
Show 11 more rankings of Duquesne University and subject specific rankings for 4 subjects


#4
USA

La Roche University

  • #1316 
  • #1380 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1333 
  • #1404 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1392 
  • #8534 
Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities
[Published 31 July, 2023]

  • #1313 
  • #1377 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #1255 
  • #1320 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (All Alumni)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #534 
  • #537 
MONEY Best Colleges in America, ranked by value
[Published 16 May, 2022]
Show 1 more rankings of Carlow University and subject specific rankings for 1 subjects

  • #381 
  • #387 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #1101 
  • #1148 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #207 
  • #209 
US News Best National Universities
[Published 17 September, 2023]
Show 6 more rankings of Chatham University

  • #618 
  • #600 
Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings
[Published 14 September, 2021]
  • #941 
  • #980 
Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only)
[Published 11 November, 2021]
  • #348 
  • #352 
US News Best National Universities
[Published 17 September, 2023]
Show 4 more rankings of Point Park University and subject specific rankings for 2 subjects

#8
USA

The Art Institute of Pittsburgh

Student satisfaction: 2.0 / 5.0 (based on 78 student ratings)
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Highest subject rankings of universities in Pittsburgh

Data Science QS World University Rankings By Subject
#2 
Carnegie Mellon University
Engineering US News: Best Grad Schools (US)
#4 
Carnegie Mellon University
Education GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#12 
University of Pittsburgh
Mathematics QS World University Rankings By Subject
#19 
Carnegie Mellon University
Nursing & Health Care Payscale College Salary Report - Best Schools by Majors
#22 
Duquesne University
Psychology THE World University Rankings by Subject
#27 
Carnegie Mellon University
Business MONEY Best Colleges for Business Majors
#37 
Carnegie Mellon University
Law GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#51 
University of Pittsburgh
Chemistry GRAS Global Ranking of Academic Subjects - ShanghaiRanking
#76 
Carnegie Mellon University
Linguistics QS World University Rankings By Subject
#101 
Carnegie Mellon University

Student Opinions About Studying in Pittsburgh

“The housing in Pittsburgh tends to be very affordable, especially if you want to share the apartment with other people. The city is full of young people, nice bars and dining options, and there’s great nature in the surrounding area if you need a little getaway.”

“Some cities have more modern infrastructure to offer, but you would also be paying five times as much rent for a potentially worse apartment than you can get in Pittsburgh. On top of that, you can use the money you save to take a serious vacation at some point, which is not something a lot of people in other major cities can say.”

“Oakland is the part of town where most of us students go for entertainment and eating out. As a plus, it’s also an area well known for being safe at night so in general, you don’t have to be too worried about what’s going on around you there.”

Pittsburgh Key Facts for International Students

PROS

  • Pittsburgh’s job market usually offers a lot of tech-related and medical-related positions. With the technology sector especially being so varied, there are a lot of options here for employment.

  • The city’s international airport is less than half an hour away from the inner city zone, which is especially helpful for newcomers. International students appreciate the short journey to the airport, as it simplifies their journey.

  • Pittsburgh’s average rental prices are more or less in line with the national average, but this is a good thing because it’s coupled with the city’s great cost of living statistics when it comes to food, entertainment, and transport.

CONS

  • Pittsburgh has almost 450 bridges, and also a lot of tunnels. These factors combined with snow and rush hour have been known to create severe traffic problems.

  • The only beaches are two hours North at Lake Erie, and even there it’s not the kind of beach that many people might have in mind.

  • Long term residents describe the public transport as being great for getting workers to and from the Downtown area, but complain that bus routes don’t offer a lot of connections from neighborhood to neighborhood.


7 out of 8 Universities in Pittsburgh Ranked in at least one ranking

36 Different Rankings list Universities in Pittsburgh (26 institution and 10 subject rankings)

31 Global Rankings rank Universities in Pittsburgh Among TOP 200

Population: 305000

Elevation: 233 m. above sea level

Time: GMT -5

District/province: Pennsylvania, Allegheny County

Living costs for students in Pittsburgh:

* 100 = prices in London

  • Living costs without accommodation 94* (6% cheaper than London)
  • All costs including accommodation 76* (24% cheaper than London)
  • Meals (grocery & lower cost restaurants) 87* (13% cheaper than London)
  • Average Big Mac price 5.15 US$
  • Plug Type A
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz
  • Plug Type B
    • Residential voltage: 120 V
    • Frequency: 60 Hz

Map with location of universities in Pittsburgh

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FAQ

Carnegie Mellon University ranks #1 in Pittsburgh in our meta ranking composed of 112 university rankings.

Among all universities in Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University is listed in the largest number of rankings. See all 47 rankings where Carnegie Mellon University is listed.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Computer Science (Data Science). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Engineering (Engineering). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

University of Pittsburgh is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Education (Education). See all rankings for the University of Pittsburgh.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Mathematics (Mathematics). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

Duquesne University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Medicine & Health (Nursing & Health Care). See all rankings for the Duquesne University.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Social Studies & Humanities (Psychology). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Business (Business). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

University of Pittsburgh is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Law (Law). See all rankings for the University of Pittsburgh.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Natural Sciences (Chemistry). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Languages & Literature (Linguistics). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

Carnegie Mellon University is ranked best in Pittsburgh for Agriculture (Agriculture). See all rankings for the Carnegie Mellon University.

Ranking publishers

4icu

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British Quacquarelli Symonds, UK

Criteria used in ranking -QS World University Rankings:

Academic Reputation 40% Employer Reputation 10% Faculty/Student Ratio 20% Citations per faculty 20% International Faculty Ratio 5% International Student Ratio 5%

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Criteria used in ranking -QS Employability Rankings:

Employer reputation 30% Alumni outcomes 25% Partnerships with Employers per Faculty 25% Employer/Student Connections 10% Graduate employment rate 10%

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CWUR Center for World University Rankings

Criteria used in ranking -CWUR Center for World University Rankings:

Research Performance: 40%

  • Research Output: 10%
  • High-Quality Publications: 10%
  • Influence: 10%
  • Citations: 10%

Quality of Education: 25%

Alumni Employment: 25%

Quality of Faculty: 10%

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Centre for Science and Technology Studies, Leiden University, Netherlands

Criteria used in ranking -CWTS Leiden Ranking:

Scientific Impact Number of Publications Collaboration Open Access Gender Diversity

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Forbes

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Kiplinger

Criteria used in ranking -Kiplinger's Best College Values:

Quality Criteria 55% Cost Criteria 45%

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MONEY

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Criteria used in ranking -MONEY Best Colleges in America, ranked by value:

Quality of education 33.33% Affordability 33.33% Outcomes 33.33%

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NTU ranking

Criteria used in ranking -NTU Performance Ranking of Scientific Papers:

Research Productivity: 25%

  • # Articles last 11 years: 10%
  • # Articles current year: 15%

Research Impact: 35%

  • # Citations last 11 years: 15%
  • # Citations last 2 years: 10%
  • Average # citations last 11 years: 10%

Research Excellence: 40%

  • H-index last 2 years: 10%
  • # Highly cited papers last 11 years: 15%
  • # Articles current year in high-impact journals: 15%

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Nature Index

Criteria used in ranking -Nature Index - Academic:

Article count (AC) Fractional count (FC) Weighted fractional count (WFC)

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Payscale

Criteria used in ranking -Payscale College Salary Report - Best Universities (Bachelors only):

Ranking is based on ROI

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RUR Ranking Agency (Moscow, Russia)

Criteria used in ranking -RUR World University Rankings:

Teaching: 40%

  • Ratio Faculty/Student: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Faculty/Doctoral Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • Ratio Doctoral Degrees Awarded/Bachelor Degrees Awarded: 8%
  • World Teaching Reputation: 8%

Research: 40%

  • Citations per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • Doctoral Degrees per Accepted PhD: 8%
  • Normalized Citation Impact: 8%
  • Papers per Academic/Research Staff: 8%
  • World Research Reputation: 8%

International Diversity: 10%

  • International Faculty: 2%
  • International Students: 2%
  • International Co-Authored Papers: 2%
  • Reputation Outside Geographical Region: 2%
  • International Level: 2%

Financial Sustainability: 10%

  • Institutional Income per Faculty: 2%
  • Institutional Income per Student: 2%
  • Papers per Research Income: 2%
  • Research Income per Academic/Research Staff: 2%
  • Research Income per Institutional Income: 2%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Academic Rankings:

Normalized citation impact (Citations of research publications from all university authors compared with world averages) 20% Citation per papers 20% Papers per academic and research staff 20% International research reputation 20% Share of research publications written in international co-authorship 20%

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Criteria used in ranking -RUR Reputation Ranking:

Teaching Reputation 50% Research Reputation 50%

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Scimago Institutions

Criteria used in ranking -Scimago Institutions Rankings:

Research 50% Innovation 30%
Societal 20%

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ShanghaiRanking Consultancy

Criteria used in ranking -ARWU Academic Ranking of World Universities - ShanghaiRanking:

Quality of Education 10%

  • Alumni winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 10%

Quality of Faculty 40%

  • Staff winning Nobel Prizes/Field Medals 20%
  • Highly Cited Researchers 20%

Research Output 40%

  • Papers published in Nature and Science 20%
  • Papers indexed in Science Citation Index-Expanded & Social Science Citation Index 20%

Per Capita Performance 10%

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StuDocu

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THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -THE World University Rankings:

30% Teaching (the Learning Environment)

  • Reputation survey: 15%
  • Staff-to-student ratio: 4.5%
  • Doctorate-to-bachelor’s ratio: 2.25%
  • Doctorates-awarded-to-academic-staff ratio: 6%
  • Institutional income: 2.25%

30% Research (Volume, Income and Reputation)

  • Reputation survey: 18%
  • Research income: 6%
  • Research productivity: 6%

30% Citations (Research Influence)

7.5% International Outlook (Staff, Students and Research)

  • Proportion of international students: 2.5%
  • Proportion of international staff: 2.5%
  • International collaboration: 2.5%

2.5% Industry Income (Knowledge Transfer)"

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Criteria used in ranking -THE Global Employability University Ranking:

Employability (survey) 100%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World Reputation Rankings:

Research Reputation 66,6% Teaching Reputation 33,3%

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Criteria used in ranking -THE World’s Most International Universities:

Proportion of international students 25% Proportion of international staff 25% Proportion of journal publications with one or more international co-authors 25% University’s international reputation 25%

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The Princeton Review

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Thomson Reuters

Criteria used in ranking -Reuters Most Innovative Universities:

Patent Volume 33% Patent Citations 34% Industry Article Citation Impact 11% Percent of Industry Collaborative Articles 11% Total Web of Science Core Collection Papers 11%

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Urap

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Us News

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Wallstreet Journal USA & THE Times Higher Education, UK

Criteria used in ranking -Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education US College Rankings:

Outcomes 40% (employability) Resources 30% Engagement 20% (teaching) Environment 10% (diversity)

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Washington Monthly

Criteria used in ranking -Washington Monthly - National Universities:

Social Mobility 33.33%
Research 33.33%
Community and National Service 33.33%

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Webometrics

Criteria used in ranking -Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities:

Visibility 50% Excellence 35% Transparency 10% Presence 5%

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