Pitt Reports Smaller First-Year Class, 272 Drop in Graduate Students

At the University of Pittsburgh, first-year enrollment fell to 4,726 students this fall, down from 5,861 last fall. Graduate student enrollment dropped by 272 students, a decline of about 2.8%. It is the first graduate enrollment decrease since 2021.

A university spokesperson said the smaller fall 2026 first-year class reflected an intentional decision to enroll fewer students after what it called an exceptionally large incoming class in fall 2025. The spokesperson said Pitt remains on track for its goal of 22,000 undergraduates by 2028, adding that it is "pursuing measured, sustainable growth that keeps the student experience at the center, from housing and class availability to advising and student support services."

Last fall's enrollment increase led the university to house some first-year students in a hotel and a fraternity complex. Sofia Macias, a senior nursing major, recalled discussing those placements with friends. "I spent the majority of my time in Hillman and even when they opened the ground floor, we had such a hard time finding places to sit," Macias said.

Niveta Bharath, a senior public health major, said the Hillman Library is "always crowded anyway." She recalled a friend's experience staying in a hotel last year: "He said that it was very far and inconvenient for him. It made no sense to over-enroll students and put them into hotels."

Research doctoral and master's students accounted for 248 of the 272-student graduate decline. Professional doctorate enrollment fell by 18 students. Research doctoral enrollment has declined each year since 2024, dropping by 88 students between 2024 and 2025.

The university spokesperson said research doctoral enrollment has fluctuated above and below current levels over the past decade and that year-to-year changes are complex and "rarely the result of one factor." The spokesperson said master's enrollment changes track workforce needs, and that Pitt is offering more online and hybrid programs for working adult learners.