About Accounting in University of Pittsburgh

The major in accounting is designed to provide students with the general business and accounting knowledge necessary for them to succeed as professional accountants. As accounting is a dynamic field, all accounting majors will learn how to keep their knowledge up to date so they can continue to grow throughout their professional careers. Accounting majors will also acquire the communication, technical, and interpersonal skills necessary to successfully resolve complex problems in unstructured settings. Accounting majors will also benefit from participation in extracurricular activities and organizations such as Beta Alpha Psi, the national accounting honorary fraternity.

Highly motivated students are also able to participate in our 3+1 BSBA and MS in Accounting program with the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business. Students are able to earn both degrees in only four years, and those who qualify for merit-based scholarships may pay the same tuition as if they were only earning an undergraduate degree.

Skills Needed

• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Analytical, critical-thinking ,and problem-solving skills
• A high GPA is expected to be competitive in the market. Grades are an indicator of technical ability in accounting and of a person’s work ethic
• Excellent communication skills are needed, in addition to working well in a team environment
• Strong technical skills; many positions require using specialized accounting software

Types of Jobs

• Budget Analysis
• Financial
• Management Accounting
• Tax
• Auditing

Types of Industries

• Public Accounting
• Corporate Accounting
• Government
• Education
• Non-profit
• Self-employed – CPA

• Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR). We encourage you to complete the SRAR rather than sending a transcript to improve application processing time. Please note that we will compare your SRAR to your official high school transcript if you enroll at Pitt. Accuracy in completing the SRAR is very important. Discrepancies and misrepresentations could result in the Admissions Committee revoking your admissions decision.
• Original or certified, official secondary school records from grades 9-11 (transcripts, marksheets, certificates, examination results, etc.) and any national/state examination results required in your country. You will also need to send literal translations of your records if they are not in English. If your secondary record only includes grades 10-12, please submit the third year of your middle school transcript. Note: Students may be required to complete a transcript evaluation.
  • If you have a General Education Diploma (GED) email the Admissions Office pitt.admissions@pitt.edu about your options. In some cases the GED is not accepted.

English Language Requirements

• For the Pittsburgh campus, a 100 or higher TOEFL composite score with subscores of 21 or higher is considered competitive, a 7.0 IELTS with subscores of 6.0 or higher, or a 120 or higher Duolingo score.

  Applicants are reviewed holistically, however, and those with a 95-99 TOEFL and a solid academic record will be given strong consideration in the admissions process for the Pittsburgh campus. Applicants with TOEFL scores between 80-94 (6.5 IELTS) will most often be considered for admission to a regional campus at Bradford, Greensburg or Johnstown. We recommend that students rank the campuses on their admission application in order of preference.

University of Pittsburgh Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance varies depending on whether the candidate has applied to graduate or undergraduate programmes, as well as the necessary fees that must be paid. The tuition charge varies according to the programme to which one has applied. The following is a breakdown of expenses in the form of an expected budget for international students interested in studying in the United States.

Undergraduate Cost of living (Per year)

Graduate students Cost of Attendance (Per year)