,·Public Regional (state-related, University of Pittsburgh system)·Est. 1927
“A residential, regional Pitt campus in Pennsylvania's Laurel Highlands — known for ABET-accredited engineering technology, nursing, and a more accessible path to a Pitt-system degree.”
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (Pitt-Johnstown, or UPJ) is a residential four-year campus of the University of Pittsburgh system, set on 655 wooded acres in the Laurel Highlands of the Allegheny Mountains, about 70 miles east of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1927, it was one of the first regional campuses of a major American university and today serves roughly 2,200 undergraduates across seven academic divisions, including Business and Enterprise, Education, Engineering and Computer Science, Humanities, Natural Sciences, Nursing and Health Sciences, and Social Sciences. The campus is consciously small and tight-knit — a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an average class size of 18 — which makes it feel more like a New England LAC dropped into the Pennsylvania mountains than a satellite of a flagship research university. What genuinely distinguishes Pitt-Johnstown is its Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology — a hands-on, applications-focused engineering degree that exists nowhere else in the University of Pittsburgh system. Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, and Computer Engineering carries full ABET EAC accreditation. UPJ reports a 90%+ employment rate within three months of graduation for its engineering and engineering-technology students, who are aggressively recruited by regional manufacturers and energy firms. The Nursing and Health Sciences division, housed in a state-of-the-art building, is the campus's other flagship — alongside business, education, and competitive pre-professional tracks for medicine and pharmacy. For international students, Pitt-Johnstown plays a specific role: it offers a Pitt-system credential and the Pitt brand on the diploma, but with admissions criteria that are markedly more accessible than the Oakland (Pittsburgh) campus, and at out-of-state tuition that is meaningfully lower than most national private alternatives. Campus life is residential and athletics-oriented — the Mountain Cats compete in NCAA Division II in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), with 15 varsity teams, two D-II wrestling national titles in the 1990s, and 80+ student organizations. The setting is genuinely rural; students who want a small campus, mountain trails, and four real seasons will find it, while students looking for a major-city college experience should look at Pitt-Oakland instead.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Regional Colleges North
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Top Public Schools — Regional Colleges North
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Best Colleges for Veterans — Regional Colleges North
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Test Optional — You can submit scores if they help your case, but they're not required.
Official SourceRolling Admissions (Domestic)
UPJ uses rolling admissions; applicants are encouraged to apply early. Application opens August 1 for the following fall.
International — Fall Term
International applicants for August 2026 entry should submit by April 15, 2026.
International — Spring Term
International applicants for January 2026 entry should submit by October 15, 2025.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Domestic
$13,796 – $27,134
/yr
Out-of-State / Intl
$27,134
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
The Engineering and Computer Science Division is the academic centerpiece of Pitt-Johnstown and the only place in the entire University of Pittsburgh system that offers Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology degrees. Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering Technology programs are accredited by ABET's ETAC; Computer Engineering carries ABET EAC accreditation. The division reports a 90%+ employment rate within three months of graduation, with strong recruiting pipelines into regional energy, defense, and manufacturing employers.
Pitt-Johnstown's Nursing and Health Sciences Division offers a BSN in a dedicated, state-of-the-art Nursing and Health Sciences Building, plus associate degrees in Emergency Medical Services, Respiratory Care, and Surgical Technology. Graduate offerings include Acute Care Nursing, Family Nursing, and a Master of Social Work — an unusual mix for a campus this size and a real draw for students aiming at PA hospital systems.
The Business and Enterprise Division offers majors in Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, and Marketing, with a curriculum focused on business technology, financial literacy, and applied analytics. Small classes mean direct faculty mentoring and easy access to internship placements with regional employers in the Johnstown / Pittsburgh corridor.
Natural Sciences houses Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Geoscience, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology, plus pre-professional advising for medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and veterinary medicine. The pre-health tracks lean heavily on Pitt-system articulation — strong UPJ students often transition to graduate programs at Pitt's flagship medical and pharmacy schools.
The Humanities Division at Pitt-Johnstown spans Communication, English Literature, Foreign Languages, Journalism, Multimedia & Digital Culture, Theatre Arts, and Writing. Programs are small and seminar-style, with active student media and a regional theatre presence at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center.
Social Sciences includes Criminal Justice, Geography, History, International Studies, Political Science, Pre-Law, and Sociology. The division is a notable feeder into Pennsylvania law enforcement, public administration, and the Pitt Law and Pitt SPIA pipelines.
Education prepares teachers for Pennsylvania certification across Early Childhood, Middle Level, Secondary, and Special Education, with structured four-year graduation pathways and field placements throughout Cambria County school districts.
4 years
An ABET ETAC-accredited, applications-driven engineering degree that is offered nowhere else in the entire University of Pittsburgh system. Students get heavy lab and shop time, capstone industry projects, and direct recruiting access to regional manufacturing, defense, and energy employers — the program is a major reason students choose UPJ over Pitt-Oakland for hands-on engineering.
4 years
A four-year BSN housed in a purpose-built Nursing and Health Sciences Building, with simulation labs and clinical rotations across Conemaugh Memorial and other regional hospital systems. Strong NCLEX pass rates and direct articulation pathways into Pitt's graduate nursing programs make this a standout choice for students aiming at U.S. healthcare careers.
4 years
ABET EAC-accredited program combining hardware and software engineering. With small class sizes and accessible faculty, students get research and project-based learning that's harder to access at much larger flagship engineering schools, while still earning a degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $26,780
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
