Pittsburgh is a city in western Pennsylvania at the junction of 3 rivers. Its Gilded Age sites, including the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, speak to its history as an early-20th-century industrial capital.
In the North Shore neighborhood are the modern Andy Warhol Museum, Heinz Field football stadium, and PNC Park baseball stadium.
Pittsburgh isn’t just home to one big college. Several neighboring public and private universities have outstanding reputations in higher education.
Each of these colleges is unique, but most have smaller classes, allowing more interaction between students and professors.
Have you been finding it difficult to pick which college in Pittsburgh to apply to or go to? Or why should you even attend the best colleges in Pittsburg?
In addition to the general cost of attending college in Pittsburgh, these have all been answered, and many more.
Table of contents
- Why Should you Attend the Best Colleges in Pittsburgh?
- Cost of Attending College in Pittsburgh
- Is there Financial Aid available for the Best Colleges in Pittsburgh?
- 10 Best Colleges in Pittsburgh
- #1. Carnegie Mellon University
- #2. University of Pittsburgh
- #3. Duquesne University
- #4. Saint Vincent College – Pennsylvania
- #5. Washington & Jefferson College
- #6. Geneva College
- #7. Chatham University
- #8. California University of Pennsylvania
- #9. Penn State Beaver
- #10. Robert Morris University – Pennsylvania
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions
- References
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Why Should you Attend the Best Colleges in Pittsburgh?
Some reasons you should go to the best colleges in Pittsburgh are-
Pittsburgh is the home of many well-respected universities with international recognition.
These institutions include the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Saint Vincent College, Duquesne University, Chatham University, Robert Morris University, Point Park University, Carlow University, and Mount Aloysius College.
By studying in the best colleges in Pittsburgh, you would have access to corporate employment opportunities. Several large corporations offer internships to students and post-grad employment opportunities.
Pittsburgh is one place that has rising healthcare career opportunities and access to quality healthcare. Such a large healthcare system allows healthcare students to gain great experience and top-tier post-grad employment. This is also helpful for students when they require healthcare services.
The best colleges in Pittsburgh also have proximity to the outdoors. There are several state parks, state forests, and national forests nearby.
By attending the best colleges in Pittsburgh, you can also be sure of your safety. Pittsburgh has ranked number three on the Farmers Insurance Group’s list of most secure large cities in the U.S. Crime rates are lower than the national average, and U.S. News gives Pittsburgh a crime index rate of 6.9 out of 10–lower than the national average. Pittsburgh also has a low risk of natural disasters.
In Pittsburgh, there is the free or reduced cost of public transportation. This reduces the cost of the money you have to spend on transportation as a student. They offer discounted rates to students at Point Park University, Carlow University, and Robert Morris University.
Also, in Pittsburgh, you get the liveliness of urban living without the sky-high prices. The median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Pittsburgh is $727. This is a great deal compared to the national median of $947.
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Cost of Attending College in Pittsburgh
The cost of attending the best colleges in Pittsburgh varies from college to college and may fund library services, student gym facilities, student centers, technology resources, and campus health centers.
Attending college in Pittsburgh generally has been estimated to be $19,092 for in-state and $34,124 for out-of-state students.
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Is there Financial Aid available for the Best Colleges in Pittsburgh?
Financial aid refers to funding students can use to pay for college and is generally awarded based on need or merit.
The cost of tuition in Pittsburgh can be a lot; as such, they provide financial aid for students who cannot pay. They can provide the financial aid option in the form of-
- Need-based aid. This is determined by your or your family’s ability to pay for college, as calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA. They mostly award it to the first years.
- Need-based self-help aid. This financial aid includes federal loans and work-study. In 2024, the average need-based self-help aid awarded to first-year students was 39%.
- Merit-based or non-need-based aid is awarded for a specific talent, athletic, or academic achievement.
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10 Best Colleges in Pittsburgh
#1. Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private institution that was founded in 1900. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 7,073 as of fall 2020, it’s urban setting, and the campus size is 157 acres.
It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Carnegie Mellon University’s ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities #25. Its tuition and fees are $58,924. At #1, it is the best college in Pittsburgh.
See Our Ful Review on Study at Carnegie Mellon University: Admission Requirements, Courses Offered Tuition Fee, Ranking
#2. University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The university comprises 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to its central administration and 28,391 undergraduate and graduate students.
Pitt is a member of the Association of American Universities, a selective group of major research universities in North America. It is classified as an R1 University, meaning it conducts a very high research activity.
Pitt was the third-largest recipient of federally sponsored health research funding among U.S. universities in 2018. It is a major recipient of research funding from the National Institutes of Health.
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#3. Duquesne University
The Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of 40 students and a faculty of six.
The average cost of Duquesne university after aid is $29,000, with a graduation rate of 80% and an acceptance rate of 77%.
#4. Saint Vincent College – Pennsylvania
Saint Vincent College is a private institution that was founded in 1846. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,462 as of fall 2020, its setting is suburban, and the campus size is 200 acres.
It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Saint Vincent College’s ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #146. Its tuition and fees are $39,162. It is one of the best colleges in Pittsburgh.
#5. Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College is a private liberal arts college in Washington, Pennsylvania. The college traces its origin to three log cabin colleges in Washington County, established by three Presbyterian missionaries to the American frontier in the 1780s: John McMillan, Thaddeus Dod, and Joseph Smith.
With an average cost after aid f $26,000, there is an average graduation rate of 70% and an acceptance rate of 90%. It is also one of the best colleges in Pittsburgh.
#6. Geneva College
Geneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1848 in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in over 30 majors and graduate students in a handful of master’s programs.
The only undergraduate institution affiliated with the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America, the college’s undergraduate core curriculum emphasizes the humanities and the formation of a Reformed Christian worldview. It is one of the best colleges in Pittsburgh.
#7. Chatham University
Chatham University is a private institution that was founded in 1869. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,358 (fall 2020), its setting is urban, and the campus size is 427 acres.
It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Chatham University’s ranking in the 2024 edition of Best Colleges is National Universities #172. Its tuition and fees are $40,877.
Chatham University, located in Pittsburgh, was once a women’s college but is now fully coeducational. Both male and female students are eligible for admission into the school’s undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
They offer some degree programs through the university’s Falk School of Sustainability and its College for Continuing and Professional Studies, which also offers certificate and non-credit academic programs. The university offers about 40 undergraduate degree programs, and students can also design their own major or minor.
#8. California University of Pennsylvania
UniveThe city of Pennsylvania is a public university in California, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1852, it’s a Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education member.
Basically, the university offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The Middle States Commission accredits it on Higher Education.
With an average cost of $18,000 after aid, it has a graduation rate of 51%. The University of Pennsylvania has an acceptance rate of 94%. It is one of the best schools in Pittsburgh.
#9. Penn State Beaver
Penn State Beaver is a commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Center Township, Beaver County, Pennsylvania.
Penn State Beaver offers the first two years of almost all of Penn State’s over 160 baccalaureate majors. Students can also complete many bachelor’s degrees at the Beaver campus.
With top-notch professors to guide you through your education, they have ranked it as one of the best colleges in Pittsburgh.
#10. Robert Morris University – Pennsylvania
Morris University is a private university in Moon Township, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1921 and is named after Robert Morris, the “financier of the [American] revolution.” It enrolls nearly 5,000 students and offers 60 bachelor’s degree programs and 35 master’s and doctoral programs.
We have estimated the average cost after aid to be $27,000, with a graduation rate of 60%. It is one of the best colleges in Pittsburgh, with an acceptance rate of 86%
Conclusion
Glassdoor named Pittsburgh number one in Best Cities for Jobs. Companies like Kraft Heinz, American Eagle Outfitters, and PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. are headquartered in Pittsburgh.
Studying in the best colleges in Pittsburgh gives you an edge and a head starts over other people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pitt is a top-tier public research institution, and tuition is less than half that of many private universities for out-of-state students and much less even for in-state students. Pitt is also relatively generous with scholarships, especially if you qualify for the honors college and/or are from out of state.
Yes. Pittsburgh is a midsize city with many public and private colleges and universities in its surrounding metro area.
Pittsburgh is known as “the Steel City” for its more than 300 steel-related businesses and as the “City of Bridges” for its 446 bridges. The city features 30 skyscrapers, two inclined railways, a pre-revolutionary fortification, and the Point State Park at the confluence of the rivers.
The university earns national accolades for its highly ranked School of Medicine, Education, and Swanson School of Engineering.
Yes. Pennsylvania international students often balance major U.S. city life’s bustling and lively atmosphere with low-cost weekend travel to quiet and peaceful regions, including the 48 acres of beauty and solitude at Cherry Springs State Park.
References
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