College Profiles/ University of Pittsburgh
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
University of Pittsburgh Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Pittsburgh, PA · 21,388 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to University of Pittsburgh for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
University of Pittsburgh admitted 59.4% of 64,724 first-year applicants in the 2025-2026 Common Data Set.[1] The 2026-27 cost of attendance is $44,400 for in-state students and $66,134 out of state.[2] First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $17,157.[3] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Regular Decision Rolling.[4]
59.4%
Overall admit rate[1]
29 to 33
Middle 50% ACT[3]
$66,134
Out-of-state cost, 2026-27[2]
$17,157
Average need-based grant[3]
85.8%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
University of Pittsburgh at a Glance
- Location
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Type
- Public
- Student to faculty ratio
- 13:1[3]
- Endowment
- $5.8 billion (federal data)[5]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional (through Fall 2028)[4]
- Application
- Common App, Pitt Application[4]
- First-year retention
- 92.5%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on University of Pittsburgh
The ConnectPrep take
Pitt's Common Data Set puts three things at the top: rigor, academic GPA, and the application essay, with level of interest, character, volunteer work and work experience also important. The average GPA is 4.08 and 41% of enrolled students ranked in the top 10%. Admission is rolling with a 59.4% admit rate, so the real deadline is Dec 1, when complete files get automatic merit consideration and Frederick Honors College priority. Note that the personal statement is optional for admission but required for scholarship review, so we tell every student to write it. Testing is optional through fall 2028, with SAT superscoring; the middle 50% section ranges are 640 to 720 in reading and writing and 640 to 740 in math, and the ACT is 29 to 33. The biggest trap is the Medicine GAP, due Oct 15.
What to do this fall
- Submit a complete application, including the personal statement, by Dec 1 for merit and Honors priority.
- Medicine GAP applicants must apply by Oct 15 and need an SAT of 1500 or ACT of 34; test optional applicants are ineligible.
- Send an ACT of 31 or higher, or SAT sections at or above the midpoints of each range.
- Rank campus preferences and first-year entry schools carefully on the Pitt application, since both shape the decision.
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University of Pittsburgh Admissions Statistics
| Applicant pool |
Applied |
Admitted |
Admit rate |
| All first-year applicants[1] |
64,724 |
38,477 |
59.4% |
- Yield, the share of admitted students who enrolled, was 15.3%.[1]
- 6,245 students were offered a waitlist spot, 3,198 accepted one, and 84 were admitted from it.[1]
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[3] |
640 to 720 |
| SAT Math[3] |
640 to 740 |
| ACT composite[3] |
29 to 33 |
| Enrolled students who submitted the SAT[3] |
40% |
| Enrolled students who submitted the ACT[3] |
10% |
| Average high school GPA[3] |
4.08 |
| Ranked in top 10% of high school class[3] |
41% |
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 720 in Reading and Writing and 740 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 33 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What University of Pittsburgh looks for
Rated “very important” by University of Pittsburgh: Rigor of secondary school record, Academic GPA, Application essay. Rated “important”: Talent/ability, Character/personal qualities, Volunteer work, Work experience, Level of applicant's interest.
In its own words: Pitt gives each application a holistic review that weighs academic achievement alongside what makes an applicant unique and a good fit, and it looks for a solid senior year curriculum.[4]
University of Pittsburgh Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Regular Decision |
Rolling |
|
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from University of Pittsburgh’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
Guaranteed Admissions Program in Medicine
Before RD |
Oct 15 (supplement Nov 1) |
Apply to Pitt on or before Oct 15 and submit the supplemental application by Nov 1; SAT 1500 or ACT 34 minimum and test-optional applicants are ineligible.[6] |
Guaranteed Admissions Program in Physician Assistant Studies
Before RD |
Dec 15 (supplement Feb 1) |
Submit by Dec 15 with supplemental information by Feb 1; SAT 1500 or ACT 34 required.[6] |
Guaranteed Admissions Program in Dental Medicine
Before RD |
Jan 15 |
Application with SAT (1470) or ACT (33) and STARS due by Jan 15; scores required from Aug 1, 2026.[6] |
Guaranteed Admissions Program in Occupational Therapy
Before RD |
Oct 1 |
OTCAS application due no later than Oct 1.[6] |
Academic scholarships
Before RD |
Dec 1 |
Pitt is rolling, but only applicants complete by Dec 1 are automatically considered, and a personal statement is required for scholarship consideration even though it is optional for admission.[4] |
Frederick Honors College
Before RD |
Dec 1 (priority) |
Indicate interest and complete all materials by Dec 1 for priority; later applicants only as space allows. Priority applicants notified by Mar 1.[7] |
See how University of Pittsburgh compares with other colleges in the Mid-Atlantic deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
University of Pittsburgh Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance, in-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$44,400 |
| Cost of attendance, out-of-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$66,134 |
| First-years awarded need-based aid[3] |
49.5% |
| Average need-based scholarship or grant[3] |
$17,157 |
| Average total financial aid package[3] |
$18,561 |
| Average share of need met[3] |
56.0% |
Pennsylvania resident in the Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences living on campus, including tuition, mandatory fees and estimated living and other expenses. Out-of-state students pay $43,328 in tuition for an estimated total of $66,134.[2]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year in-state students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[5]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$14,709 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$18,371 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$23,192 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$31,567 |
| Over $110,000 |
$36,008 |
| All aided students |
$30,434 |
Academics and Majors at University of Pittsburgh
Most popular fields by share of bachelor’s degrees awarded[1]
- Business/marketing12%
- Biological/life sciences12%
- Psychology11%
- Engineering10%
- Health professions and related programs10%
Signature programs
Guaranteed Admissions Programs (GAPs)
Let qualified first-year applicants lock in later admission to Pitt graduate and professional programs such as medicine, dental medicine, law, pharmacy and physical therapy.[6]
Frederick Honors College
Pitt's honors college; applicants indicate on the application whether they want to be considered for it.[4]
First-year entry schools
Applicants choose which of Pitt's first-year entry schools they want to apply to.[4]
Choosing a major and getting in
Applicants rank their campus preferences and select the first-year entry schools they want to apply to on the Pitt application. Many graduate and professional programs offer Guaranteed Admissions Programs for qualifying first-year applicants, with program specific requirements and deadlines.[4]
Special admission paths
- Rolling admission with no set deadline; complete applications by December 1 for automatic merit scholarship consideration.
- Guaranteed Admissions Programs to graduate and professional schools (medicine GAP application by October 15).
- Frederick Honors College consideration on the application.
- Regional campus options.
University of Pittsburgh Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
92.5% |
| Graduated within four years[1] |
71.8% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
85.8% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[5] |
$66,125 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[5] |
$24,250 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[5] |
14% |
Make University of Pittsburgh a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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University of Pittsburgh FAQs
What is the University of Pittsburgh acceptance rate?
University of Pittsburgh admitted 59.4% of first-year applicants (38,477 of 64,724), according to its 2025-2026 Common Data Set.
When are the University of Pittsburgh application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Regular Decision Rolling. 6 scholarship, honors or program deadlines come before Regular Decision; see the insider deadlines table on this page.
How much does University of Pittsburgh cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $44,400 for in-state students and $66,134 for out-of-state students. First-year students who received need-based aid got an average grant of $17,157.
What is a Guaranteed Admissions Program at Pitt?
GAPs let qualified first-year applicants lock in later admission to Pitt graduate and professional programs such as medicine, dental medicine, law, pharmacy and physical therapy. Deadlines vary and run early: Occupational Therapy by Oct 1, Medicine by Oct 15 with a supplement by Nov 1, and Dental Medicine by Jan 15 with an SAT of 1470 or ACT of 33.
Is Pitt test optional?
Yes. Pitt has extended its test optional program through fall 2028 and reviews the highest ACT composite and highest SAT superscore. The middle 50% ACT is 29 to 33. Several Guaranteed Admissions Programs require scores, including Medicine, which needs an SAT of 1500 or ACT of 34, so prepare seriously if a GAP is on the list.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by University of Pittsburgh. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
