| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private, for-profit, family-owned career school; campus-based only, with no online programs |
| Campus | 1, at the Millcreek Mall in Erie, Pennsylvania (there since 2007) |
| Credentials | 8 diplomas and 3 AST degrees |
| Program length | 24 weeks (Phlebotomy Technician) to 84 weeks (IT Specialist) |
| Accreditation | ACCSC since 1979; next review February 2028. Licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools |
| Federal aid | Yes: Pell Grants, FSEOG, Direct Loans and PLUS loans |
| 2026-27 tuition | $10,234 to $34,776 by program, for starts on or after 1 July 2026 |
| Students | 221 in fall 2024, all full-time |
| Founded | 1958, as A.T.E.S. Technical School; renamed Erie Institute of Technology in 1976 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Erie Institute of Technology: a single-campus trade school in Erie
Erie Institute of Technology (EIT) is a private, for-profit career school with one campus in Erie, Pennsylvania. It opened in 1958 as A.T.E.S. Technical School and took its current name in 1976. A local developer bought it in 2001, the year it moved to Upper Peach Street and took over programs from the closed CAMtech school. In spring 2007 it moved again, to the former Blair Building at the Millcreek Mall, where it is today. The school is family-owned, and in 2025 ownership passed to a member of the owner’s family.
EIT teaches mainly skilled trades, plus phlebotomy, medical equipment and IT. It had 221 students in fall 2024, all full-time. Its automotive body program closed in 2023.
Eleven programs, all taught in person
The 2026-27 catalog lists eight diplomas and three AST degrees. Every program is full-time and taught at the Erie campus; none is online. Terms last about 12 weeks.
| Program | Credential | Clock hours and length | Externship | Prepares for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Welding Technology | Diploma | 1,200 hours, 48 weeks | None listed | Courses aligned to AWS D1.1 structural steel welding |
| Electrician | Diploma | 1,500 hours, 60 weeks | None listed | NEC and OSHA compliance |
| HVAC/R Technology | Diploma | 1,200 hours, 48 weeks | 90 hours | EPA Section 608 certification |
| CNC/Machinist Technician | Diploma | 930 hours, 36 weeks | None listed | Students can pursue NIMS credentials and OSHA safety training |
| Industrial Maintenance & Mechatronics | Diploma | 960 hours, 36 weeks | 90 hours | OSHA; refrigeration certification (school’s wording) |
| Electronics Technician | Diploma | 1,290 hours, 48 weeks | 90 hours | – |
| Phlebotomy Technician | Diploma | 540 hours, 24 weeks | 90 hours | CPT or RPT certification |
| Medical Equipment Technician | AST degree | 1,800 hours, 72 weeks | 225 hours | – |
| IT Specialist | AST degree | 1,980 hours, 84 weeks | 180 hours | – |
| Web Design & Social Media Marketing | AST degree | 1,500 hours, 60 weeks | 180 hours | – |
| Administrative Professional | Diploma | 780 hours, 36 weeks | 180 hours | – |
The “Prepares for” column gives only what the school itself names. The welding courses are titled after the AWS D1.1 code, but the school does not say graduates leave with an AWS certification, and it does not describe the Electrician diploma as preparation for a journeyman licence.
What the main programs cover
Welding Technology
The 66-credit welding diploma takes 1,200 clock hours over 48 weeks. Students work through gas metal arc (GMAW), gas tungsten arc (GTAW) and shielded metal arc pipe welding, and two courses, WLD108 and WLD131, cover AWS D1.1 structural steel welding and flux-cored welding to that code. Shop time takes place in 26 welding booths with Lincoln Electric equipment. No externship is listed. The school says the program prepares students for industry-recognized certifications, and its program page names Wabtec, Ridg-U-Rak and DonJon Shipbuilding as local employers.
Electrician
At 80 credits, 1,500 clock hours and 60 weeks, the Electrician diploma is the longest of EIT’s diplomas. Teaching is built around the National Electrical Code, and the school describes the program as preparation for OSHA and NEC compliance. No externship is listed. Electrician applicants need a Wonderlic score of 14, compared with 13 for every other program. The program page names Erie Insurance, Welch Foods and McInnes Rolled Rings as local employers.
HVAC/R Technology
The 62-credit HVAC/R diploma runs 1,200 clock hours over 48 weeks and includes a 90-hour externship (course RHVEXT) with a local employer. The school says the program includes EPA certification preparation, meaning the Section 608 certification. NATE certification is mentioned only as something that can affect pay, not as part of the program. The program page names Erie Insurance, UPMC Hamot and McCarl’s as local employers.
CNC/Machinist Technician
The CNC/Machinist Technician diploma is 44 credits and 930 clock hours over 36 weeks. Its program page lists morning, afternoon and evening blocks, so it is one program that can be taken in the evening. The school says students can pursue NIMS credentials and OSHA safety training, but it does not say these are included. No externship is listed. Parker Hannifin, Accuride and Erie Press/AJAX-CECO are named as local employers.
Industrial Maintenance and Mechatronics
This 45-credit diploma takes 960 clock hours over 36 weeks. It covers programmable logic controllers (PLCs), fluid power, motor controls and mechanical drives, with OSHA training and what the school calls refrigeration certification. It includes a 90-hour externship (course MNT116). Only four students started in the latest cohort the school reports, so its graduation and job figures rest on very few people.
Phlebotomy Technician
The 27-credit phlebotomy diploma takes 540 clock hours over 24 weeks, the shortest program at EIT. It includes a 90-hour externship (course PT125) at local clinics and labs. The school says it prepares students for CPT or RPT certification but does not name which organization awards it. The program page names UPMC Hamot, AHN St. Vincent, Quest/ACL, the Community Blood Bank of Northwest PA and Grifols as local employers.
2026-27 tuition and how students pay
EIT charges a flat price for each program, with no in-state or out-of-state rates. Prices depend on when a student starts: the table shows the cost of attendance effective 1 July 2026 for students starting on or after that date. Students who started earlier pay the older tuition.
| Program | Tuition | Books and supplies | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phlebotomy Technician | $10,234 | $900 | $11,134 |
| Administrative Professional | $13,344 | $1,175 | $14,519 |
| Industrial Maintenance & Mechatronics | $17,360 | $2,500 | $19,860 |
| CNC/Machinist Technician | $17,546 | $1,825 | $19,371 |
| HVAC/R Technology | $23,205 | $3,475 | $26,680 |
| Electronics Technician | $24,612 | $3,900 | $28,512 |
| Welding Technology | $24,680 | $2,900 | $27,580 |
| Web Design & Social Media Marketing | $29,238 | $2,675 | $31,913 |
| Electrician | $29,400 | $2,550 | $31,950 |
| IT Specialist | $33,853 | $3,300 | $37,153 |
| Medical Equipment Technician | $34,776 | $3,425 | $38,201 |
Totals are our sums of tuition, books and supplies. The largest rise is for HVAC/R, where tuition went from $17,422 to $23,205 for new starts. The school lists no registration, application or graduation fee, only a $25 returned-check fee. It also estimates living costs of $11,685 a semester for an independent student and $7,488 for a dependent student, which it does not charge.
College Navigator puts the average net price at $29,018 for 2023-24, up from $18,218 for 2022-23. EIT takes Pell Grants (up to $7,395 for 2026-27), FSEOG, Direct Loans and PLUS loans, and the school lists the state PA-TIP grant. The school offers a Senior Scholarship of up to 25% of tuition for high school seniors and recent graduates (deadline 1 May) and an Institutional Assistance Grant of $100 to $4,000 per academic period for unmet need.
Refunds are pro rata: students who withdraw within the first 10% of a term get 90% back, and there is no refund after 60% of the term. Cancelling within 14 days brings a full refund.
Entry requirements and class times
Applicants need a high school diploma or GED with proof (diplomas bought online are not accepted) and must be at least 17. They take the Wonderlic SLE test and need a score of 13, or 14 for Electrician; applicants with 30 or more college credits may be exempt. Admission also includes an interview and tour, an enrollment agreement (signed by a parent if the student is under 18) and orientation. Seats are filled first come, first served, and a class runs only if enough students enroll. College Navigator reports a 100% acceptance rate; applicants must still meet these requirements.
Classes run Monday to Thursday in a morning session (8:00 AM to 1:45 PM) or an afternoon session (12:40 PM to 6:25 PM). Evening sessions vary by program, and not every program runs in every session. Programs start several times a year.
Accreditation and published results
EIT has been accredited by ACCSC, the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, since 1979, and its next review is due in February 2028, according to College Navigator. It is licensed by the Pennsylvania State Board of Private Licensed Schools. College Navigator reports a 67% graduation rate for full-time students who started in fall 2021 (within 150% of normal time), 80% retention from fall 2023 to fall 2024, and a 0.0% student loan default rate for fiscal 2021.
Program results below use ACCSC’s method: graduation within 150% of program length, and employment in a related field among graduates available for work. They come from the school’s 2026-27 Consumer Information Guide.
| Program | Students who started (cohort) | Graduated | Graduates employed in the field |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC/R Technology | 32 (Oct 2022 to Sep 2023) | 84% | 81% (21 of 26) |
| Welding Technology | 21 (Oct 2022 to Sep 2023) | 67% | 92% (12 of 13) |
| Phlebotomy Technician | 25 (Jul 2023 to Jun 2024) | 92% | 82% (18 of 22) |
| Electrician | 28 (Jun 2022 to May 2023) | 75% | 71% (15 of 21) |
| CNC/Machinist Technician | 15 (Mar 2023 to Feb 2024) | 80% | 92% (11 of 12) |
EIT publishes no pass rates for the phlebotomy, EPA 608 or welding certification exams. Its Consumer Info web page still shows an older set of rates, submitted to ACCSC in October 2024.
Before you enroll
- Price depends on the start date. Students starting on or after 1 July 2026 pay the new tuition, which for HVAC/R is 33% higher than before.
- No certification exam pass rates are published, and the school does not say welding students earn an AWS certification.
- Web Design & Social Media Marketing is in the 2026-27 catalog with a 2026 price, but it is missing from the school’s Programs page and its own web page describes a different program. Ask whether it is still enrolling.
- Several cohorts are small. Industrial Maintenance and Medical Equipment Technician each had four starters in the latest reported cohort, so their rates can swing widely.
- There is no student housing, and the school says its job placement help cannot guarantee a job.
One campus at the Millcreek Mall
All programs are taught at 940 Millcreek Mall, Erie, PA 16565, in the former Blair Building, which is in Millcreek Township. The building has more than 40,000 square feet with 28 classrooms and labs, and classes are capped at 25 students. EIT has no branch campuses.
Externships and job placement help
Eight programs include an externship, from 90 hours (HVAC/R, phlebotomy, industrial maintenance, electronics) to 225 hours (Medical Equipment Technician). Registered graduates get free placement help, including job-search training, résumé help and arranged interviews.
What students say
On Niche, Erie Institute of Technology is rated 3.61 out of 5 from 36 reviews, with an overall grade of B− (checked October 2026). Reviewers most often praise practical, hands-on training, small classes with one-on-one help from instructors, and supportive teachers, counselors and financial aid staff. Among complaints, the most detailed, a one-star review from a graduate in September 2023, describes weak teaching, a diploma withheld for years and no help finding a job. With only 36 reviews, and without seeing all of their dates, we could not tell whether they were invited by the school or posted in bursts.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Skilled Trades
- Welding Technology (Diploma)
- Electrician (Diploma)
- HVAC/R Technology (Diploma)
- CNC/Machinist Technician (Diploma)
- Industrial Maintenance & Mechatronics (Diploma)
Electronics and Computers
- Electronics Technician (Diploma)
- IT Specialist (AST degree)
- Web Design & Social Media Marketing (AST degree)
Healthcare
- Phlebotomy Technician (Diploma)
- Medical Equipment Technician (AST degree)
Business
- Administrative Professional (Diploma)
Campus Locations
Erie, PA 940 Millcreek Mall, Erie, PA 16565