Before Carlow was a university, Mercy was already at work in Pittsburgh. In 1843, seven Sisters of Mercy traveled from Carlow, Ireland, to serve Pittsburgh’s growing community. Four years later, they opened Mercy Hospital, extending care to people who needed it regardless of background or circumstance. Later, in 1929,
they opened a university, now called, Carlow University.
Today, our Mercy heritage is present in how students learn, lead, and serve. It calls us to see the person in front of us, respond to the needs around us, and use
education in service of something larger than ourselves.
“For Carlow students, Pittsburgh
is at the heart of your campus.
It’s all around you.”– Mayor O’Connor
Hear Mayor O’Connor welcome Carlow students and families to Pittsburgh, a city where education, opportunity, culture, and community come together. His message
offers a wider view of what it can mean to study here, build relationships across the city, and find a place in Pittsburgh’s future.
Carlow offers something distinctive in Pittsburgh: a close-knit university community surrounded by one of the city’s densest academic, medical, and cultural neighborhoods. Our Oakland campus places students near major institutions, including the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, while
preserving the personal scale that defines the Carlow experience.
Here, you can study in a city shaped by healthcare, technology, education, research, and the arts without feeling lost in the crowd. You’ll find faculty
and staff who recognize your goals, a Mercy community grounded in compassion and justice, and an education devoted to the future of you.
This is more than attending college in Pittsburgh. It is learning in a city while considering how you might contribute to it. Pittsburgh provides the setting.
Carlow makes it personal.
Pittsburgh can be more than the place where you attend college. It can become the place where you begin a career, meet people who shape your
life, find a neighborhood that feels like home, and put down roots.
The city’s distinct neighborhoods, architecture, restaurants, businesses, cultural institutions, professional sport teams, and professional
communities offer many ways to build a life beyond campus. Carlow gives students a personal starting point within that larger city. You can explore
what Pittsburgh offers while returning to a campus community grounded in recognition, support, and shared purpose.
Carlow’s connection to Pittsburgh is not borrowed from the skyline. It was built through nearly two centuries of Mercy service. The Sisters of Mercy
came here to meet real needs. Carlow carries that commitment forward by preparing students for lives of ethical leadership, professional
contribution, and service to others.
Our city has changed since 1843. The call to serve it has not.
Plan Your Visit
Carlow University’s main campus is located in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.
Main Campus
3333 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Use Carlow as your starting point for exploring Oakland and the wider Pittsburgh community.
All visitors should obtain a parking permit from the Police dispatch office located in Frances Warde Hall, third floor.
Some events offer alternative parking options. Please refer to your invitation or event confirmation for that information.