Pittsburgh Among Nation's Best Large College Cities: Study

PITTSBURGH, PA - When it comes to being a destination for college students, there are few places in the country better than Pittsburgh. Personal finance website WalletHub has released its report on 2020's best and worst college towns and cities in America and Pittsburgh was rated the sixth-best large college city.

The ranking compared more than 400 U.S. cities of varying sizes on 31 relevant metrics of academic, social and economic opportunities for students. Each metric was then listed with its
corresponding weight, and the cities were graded on a 100-pot scale, with a score of 100 representing the best possible college city.

"One of the most important steps in the process (college application) is the campus visit, which often includes a tour of the city or town that will serve as the student's home for the next several years," the study stated. "Experts have argued that a school's geographical location is just as important as a strong curriculum and supportive school environment to a student's academic success."

Here's how Pittsburgh ranked in certain key metrics:

• 1st: Nightlife options per capita.

• 7th: Brain drain.

• 37th: City accessibility

• 67th: Quality of higher education

• 105th: Students per capita.

• 142nd: Percentage of part-time jobs.

• 200th: Percentage of rental units.

• 205th: Cost of higher education.

The 10 best large college cities, according to the study:

1. Austin

2. Tampa

3. Seattle

4. San Diego

5, Las Vegas

6. Pittsburgh

7. Raleigh

8. Minneapolis

9. Atlanta

10. Denver.

You can read the entire WalletHub study by clicking on the link.