Pitt-Bradford Leads in Serving All Students

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford is among 13 public, four-year institutions that outperform their peer institutions in enrolling and graduating low-income students, according to the federal Department of Education report Fulfilling the Promise, Serving the Need. 

The report looked at students receiving higher-education funding through the federal Pell Grant Program, which provides need-based grants to low-income students. Data from the U.S. Department of Education, the College Scorecard, and The Education Trust’s Pell Partnership project were used in the study.

Forty-five percent of Pitt-Bradford students receive Pell Grants, according to the report, and 57 percent of the school’s Pell recipients graduate in six years. 

Across the nation, only half of Pell Grant recipients seeking a bachelor’s degree graduate within six years—compared with about two-thirds—or 68 percent—of non-Pell Grant recipients who do.

The maximum Pell Grant for the 2016-17 academic year is $5,815. Eligibility is determined by the student’s financial need, cost of attendance, full-time or part-time status, as well as other factors.  

The report also looked at the percentage of Pell recipients earning more than $25,000 six years after enrolling. Among the 13 public, four-year institutions cited in the report, Pitt-Bradford tied for first at 74 percent.