Pitt approves tuition and fee increases for fall term, lifts hiring freeze

Tuition for students at the University of Pittsburgh will increase again.

The $3.2 billion budget, approved Friday by the Board of Trustees, includes a 2% tuition increase for in-state undergraduate and gradate students attending the Oakland campus, a 4% hike for out-of-state students and a 1% increase for students attending one of Pitt’s branch campuses in Greensburg, Johnstown, Titusville and Bradford.

The increases will be in effect for the fall term.

Pitt also will lift its hiring freeze, which was in place for about four months. The university will move to a “controlled hiring process” that is “focused on strategic staffing priorities,” Chief Financial Officer Dwayne Pinkney said.

“Tuition rates are designed to ensure the university continues to deliver an exceptional educational experience while balancing the needs of students and their families,” Pinkney said.

The hike equates to paying an additional $205 per term for in-state students and $800 for out-of-state students at the Oakland campus, said Jared Stonesifer, university spokesman. The average list price for tuition for two terms for most in-state students is $20,966, he said, and $41,662 for out-of-state students.

The list price for most in-state students at Pitt’s regional campuses is $13,796, and $25,778 for out-of-state students.

Tuition at the Oakland campus increased by 2% last year. Rates at the branch campuses have been held flat over the past two years, Pinkney said.

Pinkney said the budget allocates nearly $315 million in financial aid for students and families, an amount that has increased by nearly 30% since 2020. More than half of all Pitt students receive financial aid. For Pennsylvania students, that aid is more than the in-state tuition discount.

“This support enables nearly half of Pitt students to graduate from this university debt-free,” Pinkney said.

Pitt also increased its Oakland housing rates by about 6% and its dining costs by about 4%. Pinkney attributed those increases to competitive market rates and inflation.

“Students can expect to see mandatory fee increases in the areas of transportation, wellness and technology,” Pinkney said. “This reflects student needs and the cost of delivering these improved and essential services to support student success and well-being.”

The budget also includes a research base of $1.2 billion.

“We recognize we are operating in a dynamic environment, and we are prepared to be flexible,” Pinkney said. “At the same time, we want to continue to support the dynamic research that takes place at Pitt, which enables us to attract top students and faculty and expand our partnerships with industry and government.”

Pinkney said the budget includes a 2.5% salary increase pool for faculty and staff.

“This reflects the university’s desire to continue to attract and retain top talent, and be an employer of choice,” he said.

The capital budget totals $267 million, Pinkney said, which covers the preservation and maintenance of campus infrastructure and completing construction projects already in progress.

Also Friday, university Chancellor Joan Gabel told trustees Pitt’s Oakland campus received a record number of applications — nearly 65,000 — for this fall. That’s a 6% increase over last year.

“We anticipate an excellent first-year class with the commonwealth extremely well-represented, and it’s going to set a new watermark for Pitt, both in terms of size and quality, and is very much in line with our commitments in the strategic plan around our enrollment goals,” she said.

Gabel said enrollment figures at branch campuses are projected to remain the same or increase incrementally.

“They’re stable and improving, which is a reflection of a really strategic effort around enrollment management, retention and the program offerings being really meaningful for the students who are selecting those campuses,” she said.