This article is not going to tell you whether Point Park University is the right university for your child. No one who does not know you can tell you that. What I can do is explain, using the official data that the United States government collects from this institution, what kind of university Point Park is, how it works, how much it costs, and what happens to the people who enroll there. With that information in hand, you can decide whether it is worth investigating further.
What Kind of University It Is and Where It Stands
Point Park University is a private, nonprofit, four-year-or-higher institution. That already tells you something: it is neither a community college nor a public state school. The Carnegie system, which classifies United States universities by what they do, places it among doctoral and professional universities, and its most recent profile describes it as a small, four-year, primarily residential school. The highest level it reports offering is a doctoral degree, although that is a general institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific program your child is interested in goes up to that level. You have to verify that program by program.
One detail worth remembering: in its undergraduate profile, Carnegie places it among institutions that enroll many transfer students. If your child is thinking of coming here after studying somewhere else, ask in writing which courses will count and which will not. That label does not tell you how many credits people bring with them or how many are lost in the transition; it tells you only that this is a common path at this school.
Point Park is in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, within Allegheny County, in an area that the census classifies as a large city with 250,000 residents or more. That does not tell you how to get to campus or what housing is available nearby. If your child is thinking of living at home, drive the route yourself on a weekday at the exact time of their classes. The actual travel time is almost never what the map says.
And one fact is worth clarifying from the start because many families ask: Point Park is not listed as a historically Black college or university, a tribal college or university, or a land-grant institution. It is not the first, the second, or the third. Lacking all three of those designations does not tell you which students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, which student organizations are active, and better yet, talk with someone who already studies there.
The Size of the Community and Who Makes It Up
Point Park had 3,299 students enrolled in the most recent official count. It is a medium-sized school. But that large number includes both undergraduate and graduate students: 2,323 are undergraduates and 976 are graduate students. If your child is entering a bachelor's degree program, the number that matters is 2,323, not the total. A substantial portion of this community has already completed a bachelor's degree and returned for further study.
As for who makes up that undergraduate community: 10 out of every 100 students are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority. Compared with 941 similar private four-year schools in terms of selectivity, that number is above the group midpoint but does not reach the highest quartile. That neither removes the school from your list nor puts it on the list; it tells you that during a visit, it is worth asking what specifically exists for Latino students: a student group, a cultural center, someone in the office who speaks Spanish. And keep in mind that this comparison does not adjust for the part of the country where the school is located, which matters.
There are more women than men among undergraduates—64 out of every 100 are women—and adult students ages 25 to 64 are a minority: 12 out of every 100. Slightly more than half of new students, 55 out of every 100, were from Pennsylvania when they applied.
How the Academic Year Works
The year at Point Park is organized into semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each, with set dates for everyone. The school stated that it accepts credit from AP exams as well as what IPEDS calls credit for life experience—independent study, adult courses, work experience, portfolios, licenses, prior certifications, and even military opportunities—and reports accepting credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses for credit, both within and outside a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is the hard truth that I cannot soften: the school’s stating that it offers these pathways does not mean your child’s credits will be accepted automatically. Ask for a written transfer-credit evaluation before enrolling. Do not budget for the savings until you have it in hand.
As for what students study there: in the most recent year reported, Point Park awarded 526 bachelor's degrees across 20 program families. But the offerings are concentrated: visual and performing arts alone accounted for 186 of those 526 degrees, or 35 out of every 100. If the program your child is interested in is outside that field, do not assume anything based on the school’s overall size; verify the exact program.
The ratio of students to instructional staff is 12 to 1. On the general scale, that is considered low. But compared specifically with similar schools, it is above the median: not as low as it appears at first glance. Both things are true at the same time, and neither tells you the actual size of first-year classes because that information is not available in this report.
Point Park also reports structured opportunities: study abroad, a complete program offered only during evenings or weekends, and pathways to teacher certification, including state approval of the initial certification program.
Getting In Is Easy Here. Staying and Deciding Are Another Story
Let us get to the heart of admissions because there is a contrast here that every family needs to understand clearly.
Point Park does not have open admissions: it reviews application materials before saying yes. Of the nine considerations it reviews, it marks three as required: the high school record, the high school GPA, and the English proficiency test for applicants to whom it applies. If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask now whether that test applies and what would exempt them. It is one of those things people discover late, and here it is required. The recommended course plan and personal essay are not required, but the school considers them if you submit them.
The undergraduate application fee is $0.
And now the figure that changes the conversation: out of 5,291 first-time applicants, the university offered admission to 5,179. That is 98 out of every 100. Among nearly a thousand selective private schools in this census, Point Park is among those that admit the largest shares of applicants; at least nine out of ten of those schools admit an equal or smaller percentage. Put simply: here, almost everyone who applies gets in. Your child’s energy is better spent meeting deadlines and completing the application file than worrying about competing for a spot.
But here comes the twist you cannot overlook. Out of every 100 admitted students, only 10 ultimately enrolled. The other 90 were admitted and did not come. Compared with similar schools, that proportion is on the low side: at seven out of ten similar schools, a larger share of admitted students enrolls. This is not a mark against the school—the federal record does not say why each person made the decision they did—but it is a real signal: an open door does not mean it is the only variable that matters. Before deciding, you need to look at net price and the graduation rate. Those two calculations carry more weight than the admissions calculation.
As for standardized tests, the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child submits them, they are considered; if not, the application proceeds in the same way. Of enrolled students, only 24 out of every 100 submitted SAT scores, and among them the middle half scored between 520 and 650 in reading and writing and between 515 and 590 in mathematics. That range is neither a minimum that must be reached nor a guarantee of admission if it is reached: it is only what was reported by those who chose to submit scores.
As for transfers: of the cohort that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor's degree, 24 out of every 100 transferred to and enrolled at another institution without completing at Point Park. It is a common proportion among similar schools, slightly above the group midpoint. Transferring is not failing. But it is worth making sure your child knows in advance how to request the records needed to leave if necessary.
The List Price and What Families Actually Pay
At Point Park University, among 85 first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $18,999. Among 68 students from the same population with EFC family income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $23,522; among 170 students with EFC family income above $110,000, it was $29,375. For dependent students, the band combines their parents’ income with their own.
The difference between the average for the lowest-income band (85 students) and the average for the highest-income band (170 students) is $10,376. Among first-year students who received any grant or scholarship aid, the average was $25,477.
$18,999 was the average net price for the lowest-income families in academic year 2022-23. That does not mean it is what your family will pay. It helps you determine whether it is worth asking for the financial aid letter.
None of these figures is a quote for your child. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or in-district rate. The overall average for students with grant or scholarship aid, when shown, describes first-time, full-time, credential-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional grants or scholarships. The figure that matters is the financial aid letter you receive. In the meantime, run the net price calculator on the school’s website.
How It Gets Paid For: Grants, Loans, and How Common Debt Is
At Point Park, 95 out of every 100 degree-seeking students receive some grant or scholarship aid that does not have to be repaid. Here, receiving something is the norm, not the exception. Among those who receive it, the average is $23,160 per year. That is real money, but a high average does not tell you what your specific offer will be; it includes people who received much more and people who received much less.
37 out of every 100 students receive a Pell Grant, the federal aid for low-income families.
Now for the part that has to be stated plainly: 75 out of every 100 Point Park undergraduate students received a federal student loan. That is a high proportion compared with similar schools—on the high side among the selective schools in this census. Among those who borrow, each receives an average of $6,923 per year. If that figure were repeated during all four years of the degree, the total would be around $27,692, not counting interest.
Here, debt is the norm, not the exception. That does not determine whether your child will need it—that depends on the financial aid letter and what your family can pay out of pocket—but if a loan appears in the offer, ask for the estimated monthly payment before accepting. And keep in mind that this average covers only federal loans in the student’s name: it does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes end up signing for, bank debt, or credit-card debt. Nor is it the total debt students have when they graduate; calculating that would require adding all four years, and that number is not in this report.
The institution also reports an installment tuition payment plan and participation in a Promise-type program as mechanisms for organizing payment.
Campus Life, Athletics, and Support
Point Park has its own housing, with a reported capacity of 998 students. Living there is not required for all first-time, full-time students. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week varies by the plan selected. The existence of housing does not guarantee that a bed will be available for your child: ask in writing for the annual rate, the application deadline, and whether space is guaranteed or there is a waiting list.
ROTC is available in two branches: Army and Air Force. Navy is not listed. Being reported does not indicate whether the program is offered specifically on this campus; ask about it by name before building a plan around it.
The university competes in intercollegiate athletics and is affiliated with the NAIA, with reported membership in basketball, baseball, and cross-country or track and field. If your child wants to pursue that path, write directly to the coach: ask whether there is a roster spot, which division they compete in, and whether that sport provides scholarships.
It offers distance education at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In the most recent count, 11 out of every 100 undergraduate students took their entire course load at a distance; the other 89 took at least one class in person. The library operates with paid staff, has physical and digital materials, and offers interlibrary lending. Reported services include combined academic and career counseling, employment support, participation in the Yellow Ribbon program for veterans, a dedicated point of contact for military families, and a services page for students with disabilities.
Who Stays and Who Graduates
This is probably the section that carries the most weight when making a decision because it describes what happens to people after they enroll.
Of the cohort that began in 2022 seeking a bachelor's degree full-time, 71 out of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already graduated one year later. Compared with similar schools, that figure is just below the group midpoint. This number does not distinguish between those still studying and those who had already graduated, nor does it explain what happened to everyone else: not returning does not always mean leaving higher education; many transfer and continue elsewhere.
As for graduation: from a cohort of 633 students who began seeking a bachelor's degree in 2017, after six years 376 had graduated from Point Park. That is 59 out of every 100. After four years, the figure was already 52 out of every 100, just seven points below the final six-year result. Compared with similar private schools, this rate is below the group midpoint: more than half of those schools graduate a larger share of their students.
It is worth looking at the complete breakdown of those 633 students: 376 graduated here, 149 transferred to another institution without completing at Point Park, and 106 were in the “no longer enrolled” category at the end of the tracking period, a category that does not explain why and may include people who graduated after the measured deadline.
And there is an even longer view: after eight years, among a cohort that entered between 2015 and 2016, 60 out of every 100 had earned a degree or certificate from this school. Among Pell Grant recipients, that figure falls to 53 out of every 100—eleven points lower than among those who did not receive Pell. Compared with similar schools, it is also below the group median.
None of these numbers tells you what will happen to your child. They are institutional averages from past cohorts, not an individual prediction. But they do give you a legitimate question to take directly to the admissions office: what specific supports exist to help a student reach graduation? Is a counselor assigned? Is emergency aid available? Does the institutional scholarship renew every year? Ask for the answers in writing.
How This Fits Into Your Family’s Decision
You now know, in considerable depth, one of the pieces you need: what Point Park University is, how it admits students, how much it costs on paper and in practice, and what happens to the people who enroll there. It is a school where admission is practically assured, where student debt is common, where the list price is high but can fall substantially depending on your family’s income, and where slightly more than half of those who enroll ultimately graduate from the same institution within the expected timeframe.
None of these facts makes the decision for you. What your child wants to study and what they have built so far are still missing. A real plan emerges from those three pieces together—the university, the student, and the family.
Your child’s role is to decide what they want to study, work hard, ask questions, and build their record. Your role is to understand the money, ask for things in writing, and provide support without carrying the process alone or leaving your child to carry it alone. It is not your life being decided here. But your support can make the difference between reaching this decision with information and reaching it blindly.
Source note: The information in this article comes from data reported by Point Park University to the United States Department of Education’s IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System), primarily for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 cycles, as indicated in each section. Best College Aid does not represent Point Park University or any government agency; this content is informational and does not constitute personalized admissions advice.