Carlow University

Private · Moderately Selective · PA

Photo: Carlow University (CC BY-SA 2.5)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationPA · Northeast

SettingUrban

Undergrads1,348

Student:faculty12:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate48.6%

6-yr grad rate59.9%

Drop-out rate15.6%

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition$36k

Out-of-state tuition$36k

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity34%

Gender diversity83.8%

International1%

IdentityRoman Catholic

Overview

Carlow University is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood, founded by the Sisters of Mercy and historically a women's college; it remains majority women today even as a coeducational institution. Its Oakland location places it directly among Pittsburgh's dense concentration of hospitals, universities, and research institutions, giving students unusually direct access to clinical and academic partners in a compact urban footprint.

Academics

Nursing, education, and social work are the clearest strengths, each carrying a strong social-justice orientation consistent with the Sisters of Mercy's founding mission. The Oakland location supports clinical placements and partnerships with nearby hospitals and human-services organizations directly, an advantage a more isolated campus could not offer as easily.

Campus & student life

The compact urban campus sits amid Pittsburgh's Oakland institutional core, and the university's small size means students share a close, mission-driven community despite the surrounding big-city setting.

Getting in

Admission is holistic, with essays and interest in social-justice-oriented fields like nursing and social work carrying real weight given the university's explicit mission focus.

After graduation

Nursing, education, and social work graduates find strong regional Pittsburgh placement, aided directly by the university's location among the city's major hospitals and social-service organizations.

carlow.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate87%

Enrolled mid-50%SAT 960–1168

Test policyoptional

Rec letters0

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

AdmissionRolling

Applying