By SHANNON O. WELLS
While Pitt’s overall enrollment numbers for fall 2023 are slightly up from fall 2022, the number of students applying to the University set a record for the second straight year.
“I'm pleased to report that more than 58,000 students applied for admission to the Pittsburgh campus for fall of 2023,” Chancellor Joan Gabel reported at the Sept. 29 Board of Trustees meeting. “That's the largest number we've ever received, breaking the 2022 record of more than 53,000 applications.
“Demand has never been higher.”
This fall’s overall enrollment numbers are essentially stable and in line with trends through the previous nine years.
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Fall 2023 had a total of 33,771 students enrolled at all campuses, including 24,503 undergraduates, 6,656 graduate students, and 2,612 at the doctoral level.
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Fall 2022 saw 24,382 undergraduates, 6,751 graduate-level and 2,449 doctoral students enrolled, a total of 33,632 students.
In Oakland, enrollment increased slightly with:
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292 more undergraduates enrolled from 19,928 in 2022
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95 more graduate students from last fall’s 6,656
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113 additional doctoral students from 2,449 in 2022
“Enrollment at the University of Pittsburgh continues to be strong,” Steve Wisniewski, vice provost for budget and analytics said. “Overall, the undergraduate population at the Pittsburgh campus increased slightly. The graduate population at the Pittsburgh campus is approximately the same with small shifts in the distribution of students, specifically fewer master’s students and more doctoral students.”
The regional campuses saw slight declines in overall enrollment
Bradford: 998 students this fall compared to 1,065 in 2022
Greensburg: 1,321 down from 1,325 last fall
Johnstown: 1,936 in 2023 compared to 2,041 in 2022
“Enrollment at the regional campuses has varied, with decreases in enrollment at the Johnstown and Bradford campuses (and) stable enrollment at the Greensburg campus,” Wisniewski noted.
On a more positive note, Gabel praised the diversity and versatility of the latest wave of students, along with the efforts it took to attract them.
“Our incoming class is the most diverse, the most talented and the most global in University history,” she said, “which reflects excellent work by Pitt’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, with our appreciation.
“Most are Pennsylvania residents, nearly 40 percent identify as BIPOC (black, indigenous and people of color), and more than 40 states and more than 30 other countries are represented,” she added.
To address enrollment declines on regional campuses, Gabel said new buildings at Bradford and Greensburg are designed to support new or expanded programs in high-demand fields.
“At Pitt-Bradford, for example, we have the George Duke Engineering and Information Technologies Building, which is home to a pair of new four-year engineering technology programs,” she said. “We have facilities for sports that allow for the attraction of student athletes, which is a critical part of the role that enrollment plays on different regional campuses both for us and across the country.”
Other regional campus initiatives Gabel mentioned include:
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Frederick Honors College is partnering with Pitt-Greensburg to support an honors program.
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The emergency medicine program and School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences is partnering with Pitt–Bradford to offer an EMT course, allowing students to pursue a national EMT certification, which Gabel called a “critical workforce need. And we'd like to offer a similar major at the Pitt-Bradford campus.”
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Pitt-Johnstown’s new Guaranteed Admissions Program with the School of Pharmacy serves prospective first-year students, guaranteeing admission to the Doctor of Pharmacy program in their third year if students fulfill requirements in their first two years.
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Several pilot projects are being implemented to enhance admissions and retention at the regional campuses.
“And as we think about a reimagined Plan for Pitt for 2028 and what's possible at Pitt,” she said, “we anticipate a comprehensive system enrollment plan would be one of the goals and tactics that we would employ.”
Shannon O. Wells is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at shannonw@pitt.edu.
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