Private art, design, and architecture university in Brooklyn, founded 1887 to democratize creative education.
Pratt offers over 22 undergraduate majors and 25 graduate majors across six schools. The curriculum emphasizes blending creative studio work with critical reflection on social impact, addressing issues of justice, sustainability, and global citizenship. The Bachelor of Architecture program has consistently ranked in the top fifteen nationally since 2000. Graduate programs in fine arts, painting/drawing, library and information science, and archives/preservation rank highly in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 rankings.
The main Brooklyn campus spans 25 acres in the Clinton Hill neighborhood, featuring the iconic Victorian-Renaissance Revival library (1896) and contemporary Pratt Institute Sculpture Park (1999)—the largest in New York City. A Manhattan center operates on West 14th Street, and an extension campus partners with Pratt Munson College of Art and Design in Utica, New York. The institute transitioned from a commuter to residential school from the mid-1980s onward through construction of residence halls including Cannoneer Court, Pantas Hall, and Stabile Hall.
Founded in 1887 by oil industrialist Charles Pratt, the institute was one of the first colleges open to all people regardless of class, color, or gender. Originally focused on technical training for industrial workers, it evolved into a comprehensive art and design university. The school closed its School of Engineering in 1993 to address budget constraints but has since revitalized through campus beautification, new residence halls, and expanded graduate programs.
U.S. News & World Report's 2025 rankings place Pratt's graduate programs at #15 in Fine Arts, #11 in Painting/Drawing, #29 in Library and Information Studies, and #10 in Archives and Preservation. The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 rank Pratt #5 globally in Art & Design and in the top three in the United States for these disciplines. Architectural Record has consistently recognized the Bachelor of Architecture program in the top fifteen nationally.