The Pittsburgh Regional Diversity Survey was conducted in August and September 2015. Data were collected via a web-based survey by the University Center for Social & Urban Research (UCSUR) at the University of Pittsburgh.
The survey link was forwarded to employees from a variety of large local corporations through the Chief Diversity Officer Forum, the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and other groups. The link also was sent to dozens of local affinity groups representing a variety of diverse populations, and was provided in various media outlets to reach as wide an audience as possible. In addition, the survey was sent to the UCSUR Research Registry, a list of approximately 3,500 local residents willing to be contacted for research participation.
The final sample included 3,553 respondents, about 85 percent of whom live in Allegheny County, 14 percent in the surrounding counties of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area, and 1 percent outside the MSA. About 87 percent of the survey respondents were currently employed.
The survey sample was more likely to be minority, foreign born, female, middle-aged, highly educated and higher income than the general southwestern Pennsylvania population. The table in this section shows the demographic characteristics of the survey sample compared with the demographic characteristics of total population age 18 and older living in the Pittsburgh MSA.
The survey consisted of 54 questions covering workplace and general community diversity issues, along with demographic characteristics. No survey weights or adjustments were made to the data. As a result, the findings are not necessarily representative of the larger adult population in the Pittsburgh MSA. Instead, this non-probability survey was designed to provide a snapshot of the views of a large and diverse sample of employees and residents from the region.
To view a PDF version of the report, click here. To view the complete survey data by category, click here. Separate sections of the report are listed below.