U.S. News & World Report has recognized the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in five areas in its prestigious 2021 Best Colleges rankings released Monday, including making the list of best value schools among regional colleges in the north.
In the rankings, Pitt-Bradford was compared to other colleges in the northern region: Pennsylvania, New York, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
Pitt-Bradford ranked 9th on the list of social mobility, 10th in best colleges for veterans, 11th on the list of top public schools, 14th in best value schools and 19th on the list of all regional colleges in the north.
“I’m very pleased that Pitt-Bradford has been recognized in these five important areas by U.S. News,” said Dr. Catherine Koverola, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “We position students for success. Upon graduation our students go on to contribute to the economic stability of their families, their communities and the commonwealth’s workforce.”
The 36th edition of Best Colleges evaluated more than 1,400 bachelor’s degree-granting colleges and universities on 17 indicators of academic quality, including graduation and retention rates; undergraduate academic reputation as determined by peer institutions; and faculty resources, such as class size, faculty pay, and the percentage of faculty with a terminal degree in their field.
Changes to the rankings methodology this year include the introduction of two measures related to student debt. Last year, the University of Pittsburgh made access and affordability a priority at all of its campuses by creating the groundbreaking Pitt Success Pell Match Program, which matches Pell Grant funds dollar for dollar. During the 2020-21 academic year, 523 students received the Pitt Success Pell Match at the Bradford campus.
In the area of financial aid, the U.S. News report said that at Pitt-Bradford, the average need-based scholarship or grant for first-year students was $12,006.
Koverola noted that consistent with Pitt-Bradford’s commitment to ensure access for all students, 94% of Pitt-Bradford students who apply for financial aid receive it — merit, need-based aid or a combination of the two.
According to the U.S. News report, 66% of Pitt-Bradford classes have fewer than 20 students and 18% of students participate in undergraduate research or creative projects.
In other areas, U.S. News noted that more than one-fifth of Pitt-Bradford students are first-generation students, meaning they are the first person in their family to pursue a college education; 3.3% are veterans or active service members; and three-quarters of students live on campus.
