Pitt is globally ranked in 33 subjects, per ShanghaiRanking

The University of Pittsburgh was ranked among the world’s leading institutions in 33 academic subjects in ShanghaiRanking’s 2026 Global Ranking of Academic Subjects, with nine subjects placing in the global top 50.

The annual research ranking evaluates universities in 57 subjects across engineering, life sciences, medical sciences, natural sciences and social sciences. Roughly 2,000 universities from about 100 countries and regions were ranked in this edition.

Pitt’s nine top-50 subjects are human biological sciences, clinical medicine, nursing, biological sciences, medical technology, dentistry and oral sciences, psychology, education, and library and information science.

Human biological sciences ranked highest, at No. 8 in the world and No. 5 among U.S. universities. Clinical medicine placed 14th globally, and nursing 21st.

Seven subjects improved on their 2025 placement: human biological sciences, library and information science, mathematics, medical technology, ecology, electrical and electronic engineering, and energy science and engineering.

ShanghaiRanking, an independent higher education research firm, builds the subject rankings on research-based measures that include research output, citation impact, international collaboration and faculty awards. The rankings do not assess teaching quality or student outcomes, and they do not separate undergraduate from graduate programs.

Photography by Tom Altany