Key differences on Getting in
- 1
Pennsylvania State's yield is 4 pts higher than U. Pittsburgh's
Yield rate - 2
U. Pittsburgh's SAT midpoint is 35 points higher than Pennsylvania State's
SAT midpoint - 3
U. Pittsburgh admits 58% vs. 61% at Pennsylvania State
Acceptance rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- U. PittsburghVery selective
- Pennsylvania StateVery selective
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 1100–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 23–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- U. PittsburghTest-optional
- Pennsylvania StateTest-optional
How they read a record
U. Pittsburgh
and GPA are both very important; class rank and tests are both considered. This college reports (average 4.06), so its GPA figures can't show how crowded unweighted GPAs are.
Pennsylvania State
GPA and the high school record are required; a college-prep program is considered. 48% of first-years who sent test scores had a 3.75 or higher.
What they look at
| Factor | U. Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania State |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Very important | Required |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Considered | Not considered |
| College-prep program | Required | Considered |
| Recommendations | Considered | Not considered |
| Essay | Very important | Considered |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Important | Not considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Fall 2025;University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Common Data Set 2025–26, Entered fall 2024;College Scorecard, most recent release;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why