Karia Kiritbhai Study Abroad Course Expert
Study Abroad Course Expert
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), also located in Pittsburgh, is a large public research university with about 28,000 students enrolled. The admissions process is selectively moderate with an acceptance rate of around 50%. Pitt’s flagship programs are Medicine, Public Health, Engineering, and Philosophy. The graduation rate is about 83–85% and graduates generally earn early career salary of around INR 42–48 lakhs annually ($50,000–57,000).
The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), located near Washington, D.C., is the state's primary public research university that serves almost 41,000 students. UMD is a more selective higher education institution, with an acceptance rate of 45%. Its flagship programs are Computer Science, Engineering, Business, and Public Policy. Its graduation rate is higher, at approximately 86–88%. Their graduates start their career earning approximately INR 50-lakhs ($60,000-67,000 USD).
| University of Pittsburgh | University of Maryland | |
|---|---|---|
| Collegedunia Score | 6 Out of 10 | 5.9 Out of 10 |
| ranking (overall) | # 156 Times Higher Education 2026 # 281 QS World University 2026 # 84 Center for World University Rankings 2025 | # 116 Times Higher Education 2026 # 207 QS World University 2026 # 92 Center for World University Rankings 2025 |
| Subject Strength | # 43 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 49 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 # 79 for Law by US News 2025 | # 18 for Engineering by US News 2025 # 51 for Data Science and Analytics by QS World University 2025 # 201 for Medicine by QS World University 2025 |
| Programs | UG Programs -91 PG Programs -47 Doctorate Programs -7 | UG Programs -81 PG Programs -88 Doctorate Programs -3 |
| Acceptance Rate | 49.7 % | 45.0 % |
| Exam Score | GMAT-580 IELTS-7 SAT-1260 TOEFL-80 | IELTS-7 PTE-68 TOEFL-96 |
| Cost to Study | Average Tuition Fees 32656 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 40848 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 15844 Per Year | Average Tuition Fees 36891 [For UG Program] Average Tuition Fees 19500 [For PG Program] Hostel + Meal - 17384 Per Year |
| placement (average package) | Graduate employability rankings (2020)- #190-200 | University of Maryland, College Park is one of the top public universities in College Park, United States. It is ranked #=164 in QS World University Rankings Average Salaries Are Listed Below:
|
| application requirements | Submit short-question answers provided by the university. If you wish to apply for the Honors program submit Pitt Honors consideration. Submit self-reported academic records. | 2 LORs, activities and awards list along with resume are also required for UG students as well, submit essay prompts, auditions for some programs like music, etc. |
| Campuses and B-Schools | Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh | Robert H. Smith School of Business |
| CollegeDunia Reviews | 7.9/10 Read 6 reviews | 7.8/10 Read 24 reviews |
Top Courses Comparison
| ranking | # 46 for Business by US News 2025 # 251 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 401 for Business by QS World University 2025 | # 52 for Business by US News 2025 # 87 for Business by Times Higher Education 2025 # 125 for Business by QS World University 2025 |
| exam scores | Duolingo - 135/160IELTS - 7/9TOEFL - 100/120 | GMAT - 640/800GRE - 320/340IELTS - 7/9PTE - 68/90TOEFL - 96/120 |
| cost to study | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) - | Total Cost (Tuition + Living) -58239 |
| documents required | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose | #Letter of Recommendation + Statement of Purpose |
| application dates | Oct 15, 2025 (Early Advantage Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Jan 1, 2026 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Apr 1, 2026 (Final Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) May 1, 2026 (Scholarship Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) | Oct 1, 2025 (Round 1 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Nov 1, 2025 (Round 2 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Dec 15, 2025 (Round 3 Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) Mar 13, 2026 (Final Application Deadline For Fall 2026 Intake) |
Other Popular Comparisons
| General Facts | University of Pittsburgh | University of Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Type of University | University | University |
| Established | 1908 | 1856 |
| Student:Faculty Ratio | 14:1 | 17:1 |
| Male:Female | 49% Male, 51% Female | 51% Male, 0% Female |
| Location Facts | The university is located in Oakland neighborhood. The campus is Schenley Plaza, Carnegie Museum of Natural History and Art, Carnegie Public Library, and Carnegie Music Hall. Carnegie Mellon and Carlow University and Carlow University. | The suburban college is located in a designated area “college park” Maryland. The other campus is located in Baltimore. There is an urban forest located on-campus. The campus lies near to the transit center which makes it accessible. |
| Library | Total collection comprises of Print books- 3,484,436. Ebooks- 1,748,499. Print journals- 108,837. E-journals- 280,450. The total collection engagement of university library systems is 9,977,452. Research repository of the library systems is 2,253,516. | Overall 4 million titles in collection, comprising- print books collection (2,016,845); e-books (6,305,045); ejournals (501,554); print journals (60,900); streaming media titles (308,256), films & videos (35,089); audio files (46,796). The total collection with other libraries is over 100,000. |
| Campus Life | You can indulge in various students organizations & clubs, fraternity & sorority life, intramural & recreation, The Pitt News (student-run), WPTS-FM (student-run radio station), and Pitt Arts when on-campus. LGBTQ, graduate and International students have their own communities to join. 25 locations on-campus offer a wide range of food delicacies. You can volunteer with the office of Pittserve. | Over 800 student clubs and organizations offering you an option to indulge in arts, music, theatre, and more. The university has two main dining halls for you to enjoy a hearty meal. The college also has intramural & sports clubs and division I teams. You can indulge in fraternities, sororities, community services, and civic engagement. |
| Hostel | #Rooms - $10950 #Room & Board (including Meals) - $2447 | - |
| Famous Alumni | Dan Marino (American footballer), Gene Kelly (actor), Mike Ditka (American footballer), Andrew W. Mellon (former US Secretary of Treasury), Fred Rogers (TV personality), Derrick Bell (lawyer), Rick Santorum (former member of US Senate), Ben Cardin (US Senator), Sean Miller (American basketball coach), Bill Peduto (mayor of Pittsburgh), etc. | Carl Bernstein (journalist), Larry David (comedian), Sergey Brin (computer engineer & Co-founder Google), Kevin Plank (businessman), Carly Fiorina (businesswoman), Boomer Esiason (football quarterback), David Simon (author), Steny Hoyer (US representative), Judith Resnik (engineer), Len Bias (basketball player), etc. |
| City Life | Pittsburgh is 66th largest city in the USA and 2nd largest in Pennsylvania in terms of population. The picturesque city lies at the junction of three rivers which not only has some glided sites but also has both football and baseball stadiums. Popularly known as the Steel City; the Unemployment rate in June 2020 was 12.6%; Mining and logging, construction and manufacturing are the largest employing non-farm sectors of the city. | College Park in Prince George’s County is located on the Northeast border of Washington. It is home to National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, US National Archives, and National Archives. It shares its neighborhood with Lakeland, Hollywood, Calvert Hills, and Cherry Hills. There are three museums to explore in the city and various historic sites. |
| Weather |
University of Pittsburgh vs University of Maryland
Subject Strength & Global Rankings (2025/2026)
The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) consistently ranks within the global top 200–250, mainly recognized for its programs in Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Engineering, and Business. The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) is typically ranked within the global top 100–120 and is known for its strengths in Engineering, Computer Science, Business, Public Policy, and Life Sciences. Maryland has a slightly stronger international reputation, especially around STEM and technology, while Pitt has a slightly stronger international reputation related to health and applied life sciences.
General Information
Founded in 1787, Pitt is a public research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with an enrollment of about 28,000 students. It has a large medical center, is known for its healthcare research, and does a lot of partnership with regional industry. Founded in 1856 in College Park, Maryland, UMD enrolls around 41,000 students and is the flagship of the University System of Maryland. It is located near Washington, D.C. and has a strong connection to government, federal research labs, and corporations.
Acceptance Rate & Admissions
Pitt's acceptance rate is around 50% which makes it moderately selective, but certain programs such as Nursing, Medicine, and Engineering are much more competitive. Maryland is slightly more selective, admitting about 45% of applicants, and is more competitive in areas such as Engineering, Computer Science, and Business. Pitt has a large emphasis on accessibility for its students, even with programmatic selectivity, while Maryland tends to attract higher achieving students in its STEM, business, and public policy programs.
Research Impact & Facilities
Both institutions are classified as R1 research universities. Pitt has a strong reputation in healthcare research, with specialties in public health, bioengineering, and nursing, primarily originating from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC). Maryland, in contrast, has a very strong global reputation in engineering, computer science, business, and life sciences, with high quality facilities including the A. James Clark School of Engineering, and close proximity to federally funded research laboratories, including NASA and NIST. Pitt has a stronger regional impact on healthcare and applied science, and Maryland has a stronger global reputation in research and political initiatives related to STEM.
Cost & Financial Aid
International tuition at Pitt is in the range of $33,000-36,000 annually, while Maryland charges in the range of $38,000-41,000. Cost of living is reasonably moderate in Pittsburgh, and higher near the campus at College Park and all of Washington, D.C. Both universities offer merit-based scholarships or need-based scholarships, with merit-based scholarships at Pitt being typically focused on healthcare and engineering and STEM related disciplines. Maryland offers competitive awards on merit-based and need-based for students interested in STEM, business, and research-focused disciplines.
Career Destinations & Graduates' Success
Pitt graduates often enter into healthcare, research, engineering, and business career aspirations, realizing their regional healthcare or research partnerships, or healthcare partnerships through UPMC. Maryland graduates are highly employable when entering engineering, technology, business, public policy, and governmental roles, often with federal connections in D.C., and through their global collaboration on research. Pitt is strong in the region or nationally, and Maryland has a stronger global profile and exposure to STEM programs.
