University Times

The Center for Measuring University Performance has ranked Pitt among the top American research universities in its recently released 2008 report.

The 2008 report includes only those institutions with at least $40 million in research expenditures in fiscal year 2006, an increase from the prior year’s $20 million cutoff. One hundred-fifty-six institutions — 108 public and 48 private — met the criteria for FY06. According to the report authors, these 156 schools account for about 90 percent of all reported academic federal research expenditures.

The listing identifies 54 institutions (28 private and 26 public) that rank in the top 25 nationally on at least one of nine measures related to dollars, faculty or students.

Only three institutions, Columbia, MIT and Stanford, placed in the first tier, ranking in the top 25 in all nine measures.

Pitt ranked in the seventh tier, placing among the top 25 research universities nationwide in three of the nine measures: No. 12 in federal research dollars with more than $422.3 million; No. 13 in postdoctoral appointees with 782, and No. 20 in total research dollars with more than $530.16 million.

Pitt ranked in the top 26-50 in five measures: No. 28 in faculty awards with 22; No. 29 in endowment assets with more than $2.25 billion; No. 32 in doctorates granted with 410; No. 42 in National Academy members with 25, and No. 47 in annual giving with nearly $121.14 million.

Pitt’s national rank for SAT or ACT range (550-660, 570-670) placed the University well below the top 50 at No. 132.

Pitt ranked in the seventh tier nationally in three of the previous four years’ surveys. In 2006 it moved up a notch to place among the sixth-tier schools.

Among publicly controlled research institutions, Pitt was ranked in the second tier among six universities that had top 25 scores in eight of the nine measures. It shared the spotlight with Georgia Institute of Technology, Ohio State University-Columbus, Penn State-University Park, University of Washington-Seattle and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Among public research institutions, Pitt ranked: No. 6 in postdoctoral appointees; No. 7 in federal research; No. 9 in endowment assets; No. 13 in faculty awards; No. 14 in total research; No. 21 in doctorates granted; No. 23 in National Academy members; No. 24 in annual giving, and No. 26 in SAT/ACT range.

Vice Provost Patricia Beeson said, “We are very pleased that Pitt continues to be ranked among the top public research universities in the country across a broad range of measures reflecting the strength of our faculty; our graduate, undergraduate and research programs, and our alumni support. It is a welcomed recognition of the talent and commitment of the members of the University community.”

Topping the list of public research universities were seven schools that ranked in the top 25 in all nine measures: University of California-Berkeley; UCLA; University of Florida; University of Illinois/Urbana-Champaign; University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Pitt’s 2008 ranking fell after being counted among the top tier of public research institutions in the prior two years’ surveys.

“Little has changed,” Beeson said. “Last year our SAT scores ranked 24th among public institutions; this year they are 26th. What has changed is in 2000 when the Center for Measurement of University Performance started collecting these data, our SAT scores ranked 61st, and Pitt was in the 4th tier of public research institutions. Few thought we would make it to the top ranks in such a short period of time.”

Current and previous years’ report data are available in spreadsheet form at http://mup.asu.edu.

—Kimberly K. Barlow