Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the second-largest city in the state after Philadelphia, with a city population of about 308,000 and a metropolitan-area population of about 2.42 million. It is not a massive city by American standards, but it became known as the “Steel City” because of its history in the steel industry. It is also called the “City of Bridges” because it has 446 bridges, and it is located where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers meet to form the Ohio River.
Today, Pittsburgh is also known for health care, education, robotics, artificial intelligence, and technology. Major technology companies and tech employers with a presence in the area include Google, Apple, Meta, and Duolingo. The area is rich in universities and colleges, and in 2015, Metropolis magazine named Pittsburgh one of 11 great cities “to live, work and play in,” with Pittsburgh recognized for historic preservation. The best-known medical school in the area is the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, which U.S. News currently places in its top tier for research.
In addition to it, Pittsburgh has universities and colleges that offer health-related programs in areas such as nursing, pharmacy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies, and other health sciences. Below, we have ranked the best medical schools in Pittsburgh.
Top Medical Schools in Pittsburgh
1. University of Pittsburgh
Along with Carnegie Mellon University and Carlow University, the University of Pittsburgh is part of the city’s traditional cultural center in the Oakland neighborhood. This center forms a hub of student life, research, and study facilities. The institution, founded in 1787 as the Pittsburgh Academy, is a major research university. Within it, the School of Medicine was chartered in 1886 as the Western Pennsylvania Medical College.
Its mission is to improve people’s health and well-being through cutting-edge research, innovative educational programs in medicine and biomedical science, and leadership in academic medicine. At this medical school in Pittsburgh, students can pursue an M.D. degree, Ph.D. programs, Master of Science programs, and graduate certificate programs. The School of Medicine’s current curriculum includes threads such as social medicine, leadership, interprofessional education, and clinical reasoning.
To apply for admission, students should check the admissions website and calendar for application deadlines and supporting-document dates. International applicants must meet the same requirements as U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and asylees, including at least one year of higher education in the United States or Canada, prerequisite courses, and documented English proficiency. The current international applicant policy also lists MCAT and English-test requirements for applicants who need to document English proficiency.
For the 2025/26 academic year, estimated first-year M.D. tuition is $65,892 for Pennsylvania residents and $71,168 for non-residents. Estimated first-year total costs, including fees, medical insurance allowance, books and supplies, living expenses, and loan origination fees, are $98,074 for Pennsylvania residents and $103,350 for non-residents. Graduate School of Medicine tuition for Ph.D., M.S., and certificate students is listed separately, with full-time two-term tuition of $31,652 for Pennsylvania residents and $52,730 for out-of-state residents. The university’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid can provide details about available financial aid, but international applicants should also review Pitt’s special financial documentation requirements.
2. Duquesne University
Duquesne University is one of the other major universities in Pittsburgh. Its School of Pharmacy opened in 1925 and remains one of the university’s best-known health-related schools. Duquesne reports that its Doctor of Pharmacy program is ranked No. 54 overall in the 2026 U.S. News Best Graduate Schools rankings and that its pharmacy students achieved a 91.7% NAPLEX pass rate, above the state and national averages.
Duquesne also has the Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine, which offers a four-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program. The college has pre-accreditation status from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, which allows it to recruit and admit students and teach the D.O. curriculum. The inaugural class welcomed 85 students in 2024, and the college lists an enrollment goal of 170 students per class starting in 2026.
At Duquesne, pharmacy students can customize their education through Pharm.D. concentration tracks, including Acute Care, Ambulatory Care, Community Practice, Entrepreneurial Pharmacy, Geriatric Pharmacotherapy, and Health Science and Research Outcomes. The School of Pharmacy offers on-campus and online Pharm.D. options, as well as bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs in pharmaceutical sciences. Students also benefit from clinical training, community engagement, and student organizations that help them build practical skills.
For D.O. students, Duquesne lists 2026/27 Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine tuition and fees at $33,349 per semester, with an additional $750 per-semester network, technology, and administrative fee for D.O. and M.B.S. students. Duquesne also lists endowed scholarships for the Nasuti College of Osteopathic Medicine ranging from $2,000 to $40,000, and students must submit the CSS Profile to be considered for those scholarships.
3. Chatham University
Chatham University’s College of Health Sciences focuses on health-related fields, including nursing, psychology, physician assistant studies, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and athletic training. Students here learn through problem-based learning and actual clinical cases, and there is a strong emphasis on interprofessional education. This means that students from different health professions learn together and build communication and decision-making skills across disciplines.
Chatham reports that its College of Health Sciences programs are highly selective, with an approximate 24% acceptance rate, based on 313 accepted students out of 1,299 applicants. This makes the learning environment close-knit, and students have extensive access to faculty members, many of whom are practicing clinicians. Chatham’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program also reports that 100% of graduates were employed within six months of graduation, based on its 2022–2023 average.
Students can study a wide range of graduate programs here, such as the Master of Arts in Psychology, Master of Science in Counseling Psychology, Master of Science in Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, Doctorate of Occupational Therapy, and related certificates and pathways.
The College of Health Sciences is located at Chatham Eastside and is part of the Shadyside Campus of Chatham University. This area is close to Bakery Square, a busy retail district that is home to Google’s Pittsburgh office. Chatham has also highlighted international collaborations and, in some programs, international travel opportunities to provide services in health care settings.
The cost of attending Chatham’s College of Health Sciences depends on the program. For example, the 2026/27 Master of Arts in Psychology is 36 credits at $1,194 per credit, or $42,984 in tuition, before additional fees. Chatham’s tuition page also lists program-specific costs for other health sciences degrees, and students should budget for applicable university, program, course, and health insurance costs. Chatham offers financial aid resources, and students can find more details about each program from the university website.
While Pittsburgh is known for technology employers and innovation, aspiring medical and health sciences students can still find quality health-related education in the city through some of the state’s notable institutions. Universities such as the University of Pittsburgh, Chatham University, and Duquesne University offer medical, pharmacy, and health sciences pathways that can help students develop their skills and knowledge as future health professionals.
We hope this article on the best medical schools in Pittsburgh was helpful. If you are interested in studying in the United States, check out our Study in the USA Page and the Available Programs for International Students!
