A Washington, D.C.-based magazine recognized Pitt-Bradford as a top college for earning a bachelor's degree and a “best bang for the buck” university.
Washington Monthly included Pitt-Bradford in its annual College Guide and Rankings, which looks at how colleges help the public interest through promoting social mobility, research and service.
Pitt-Bradford was ranked 31st among national colleges for bachelor's degrees, one of only three Pennsylvania colleges ranked in the top 40.
“The recognition by Washington Monthly magazine is further evidence of the growth and maturation of our campus and its transformation into one of the most highly regarded institutions in this part of the country,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, president of Pitt-Bradford. We're proud of this recognition and will continue to do all in our power to help students achieve their educational goals and career aspirations.”
This is the second time Pitt-Bradford has been recognized for helping low-income students graduate. In March, Pitt-Bradford was one of 13 institutions recognized by President Obama for helping Pell-eligible students to graduate.
“Colleges that enrolled many low-income students and helped them graduate did well in our rankings,” Washington Monthly editor Kevin Carey wrote in introducing the ranking results.
Carey explained that Washington Monthly rankings differed from many others because instead of emphasizing “input” data like freshman SAT scores, it took into account outcomes such as whether students got good jobs after graduation.
A breakdown of the data taken into consideration showed that Pitt-Bradford ranked particularly well in community service (11th), the percentage of students entering the Peace Corps (28th), and the percentage of students who earn bachelor's degrees going on to earn doctoral degrees (31st).
Pitt-Bradford was also ranked 76th from among 388 northeastern schools for being “Best Bang for the Buck.”
Data examined for that ranking showed that Pitt-Bradford graduates' median pay 10 years after graduation was nearly $7,000 per year more than students from other peer colleges.
The rankings appear in the magazine's September-October issue. Washington Monthly examined 1,406 colleges in all 50 states using the new federal College Scorecard, which provides economic outcomes information such as the median salaries of former students.
“We gathered the best available data and ranked colleges not on what they did for themselves, but on what they did for their country,” Carey wrote.
In a separate and additional recognition, Pitt-Bradford was named for the second time as a College of Distinction by the Colleges of Distinction website and e-guidebook. In order to be chosen, colleges must demonstrate results across four distinctions - engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community and successful outcomes. High school counselors and educators nominate schools, and each is evaluated on key indicators, including student engagement, student empowerment and curricular innovation.
The annual process to select the nation's Colleges of Distinction also includes a review of each institution's freshman experience, as well as its general education program, strategic plan, and alumni success and satisfaction measures.
Last month, Pitt-Bradford was named to The Princeton Review's list of the Best Colleges in the Northeast for the 13th year in a row. To see Pitt-Bradford's Colleges of Distinction listing, visit https://collegesofdistinction.com/school/university-of-pittsburgh-at-bradford/#overview.