| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public technical college run by the School District of Manatee County; campus-based, with several hybrid programs |
| Campuses | Two in Bradenton, Florida: Main Campus (6305 State Road 70 East) and East Campus in Lakewood Ranch (5520 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.), plus a law enforcement range and driving site in Myakka City |
| Credentials | Clock-hour career certificates and applied technology diplomas (ATD); apprenticeships; no degrees |
| Program length | 45 hours (Child Care Center Operations) to 1,800 hours (Master Automotive Service Technology, day) |
| Cost | 2026-27 tuition $2.92 per clock hour for Florida residents and $11.71 for non-residents; program totals about $286 to $9,196 for residents |
| Accreditation | Council on Occupational Education since 1980 (next review 31 Dec 2029); Dental Assisting CODA; Master Automotive ASE Master accredited |
| Federal aid | Pell Grants, FSEOG and Federal Work-Study; no federal student loans |
| Founded / owner | 1963; School District of Manatee County |
| Students | 1,486 undergraduates in fall 2024 (IPEDS) |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Manatee County’s public technical college
Manatee Technical College (MTC) opened in 1963 with 218 students in eight programs and was renamed from Manatee Technical Institute in 2014. It is run by the School District of Manatee County and charges tuition by the clock hour, so most programs cost a few thousand dollars for Florida residents. It teaches about 40 certificate and diploma programs on two campuses: health and public safety at the East Campus in Lakewood Ranch, and transportation, trades, IT, culinary, salon and early childhood at the Main Campus on State Road 70.
Two facilities are new: a Law Enforcement Training Center in Myakka City, with firearms ranges and a driving pad, opened in 2025, and an Aviation Training Center at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport is due to open in January 2027. There is no RN program; nursing stops at the LPN.
Programs and 2026-27 costs on MTC’s two campuses
Totals are each program page’s 2026-27 “estimated total program cost” for Florida residents: tuition, the $60 facility and equipment fee, books and uniforms. Non-residents pay $11.71 instead of $2.92 per clock hour in tuition. Placement figures are the program pages’ own “job placement rate”; except for Medical Assisting, the pages give no year or definition.
Health
| Program | Campus | Clock hours | Prepares for | 2026-27 est. total (Florida resident) | Placement on page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing | East | 1,350 | NCLEX-PN | $9,196.40 | 98% |
| Surgical Technology | East | 1,440 | NCCT TS-C | $6,871.10 | 86% |
| Dental Assisting Technology and Management (CODA) | East | 1,230 | DANB exams; Florida Expanded Functions and Dental Radiographer | $7,279.60 | 100% |
| Medical Assisting | East | Page gives two figures | CCMA, ECG Technician, Phlebotomy Technician | $6,791 | 92.73% (2020–2024) |
| Pharmacy Technician | East | 1,050 | PTCB CPhT, NHA ExCPT | $4,624 | 90% |
| Massage Therapy | East | 750 | Florida massage licensure exam | $4,483.34 | 91% |
| Patient Care Technician | East | 600 | CNA, NHA Phlebotomy and EKG | $3,315 | 100% |
| Nursing Assistant | East | 165 | Florida CNA | $1,338.80 | 87% |
| EMT-ATD | East | 300 | Florida EMT, NREMT | $2,565 | 100% |
| Paramedic-ATD | East | 1,100 | Florida paramedic, NREMT | $5,764 | 100% |
Public safety
| Program | Campus | Clock hours | Prepares for | 2026-27 est. total (Florida resident) | Placement on page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida Law Enforcement Academy | East (ranges in Myakka City) | 770 | Florida State Officer Certification Exam | $4,449 | Not published |
| Firefighter | East | 492 | Florida Firefighter certification | $4,056.60 | 86% |
| Firefighter/EMT Combined | East | 792 | Florida Firefighter, Florida EMT, NREMT | $5,927.66 | 86% |
Transportation, construction and manufacturing
| Program | Campus | Clock hours | Prepares for | 2026-27 est. total (Florida resident) | Placement on page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Master Automotive Service Technology (day / evening) | Main | 1,800 / 1,050 | ASE A1–A8 / A1, A4, A5, A6 | $7,950 / $4,732 | 85% (day) |
| Automotive Collision Technology Technician | Main | 1,400 | ASE B2 | $7,516 | 100% |
| Diesel Systems Technician 1 | Main | Page gives two figures | ASE T2, T6 | $4,903 | Not published |
| Marine Service Technologies | Main | 1,350 | ABYC, NMEA, Yamaha, Suzuki, Mercury | $7,130 | 89% |
| Welding Technology | Main | 1,050 | AWS Certified Welder | $8,385 | 86% |
| Machining Technologies | Main | 1,200 | NIMS Level 1; Autodesk CAM | $6,309 | 100% |
| CNC Production Specialist | Main | 600 | NIMS Level 1; Autodesk CAM | $3,524 | 100% |
| Advanced Manufacturing and Production Technology | Main | 600 | SolidWorks Professional | $3,509 | 100% |
| Electrical and Instrumentation Technology 1 | Main | 1,000 | PMMI Industrial Electricity 1 and 2 | $4,240 | 89% |
| Electricity | Main | Page gives two figures | NCCER Core and Electrical Levels 1–4 | $7,182 | 91% |
| HVAC/R (day / evening) | Main | 1,350 / 750 | EPA 608; HVAC Excellence | $5,846.95 / $4,354.95 | 83% / 81% |
| Building Construction Technologies | Main | 1,050 | NCCER | $6,329 | 100% |
| Computer-Aided Drawing and Modeling | Main | 1,200 | AutoCAD Professional | $4,908 | Not published |
Business, IT, design, culinary, salon and early childhood
| Program | Campus | Clock hours | Prepares for | 2026-27 est. total (Florida resident) | Placement on page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Operations | Main | 1,050 | QuickBooks Certified User, MOS | $4,431 | 92% |
| Applied Cybersecurity (hybrid) | Main | 750 | CompTIA Security+ | $3,265 | 71% |
| Computer Systems & Information Technology | Main | 900 | CompTIA A+, Network+ | $4,325 | Not published |
| Digital Design | Main | 1,200 | Adobe Certified Professional (Photoshop) | $5,684 | 100% |
| Digital Video Technology | Main | 900 | Adobe Premiere Pro | $6,175 | 88% |
| Baking and Pastry Arts | Main | 600 | ServSafe Food Protection Manager | $4,207 | 75% |
| Cosmetology | Main | 1,200 | Florida cosmetologist license | $6,185.45 | 100% |
| Barbering | Main | 900 | Florida barber license | $5,235.50 | 100% |
| Facials Specialty | Main | 220 | Florida Facial Specialist registration | $2,237.65 | 73% |
| Nails Specialty (new) | Main | 180 | Florida Nail Specialist registration | $1,798.60 | 83% |
| Early Childhood Education Pre-Apprenticeship | Main | 300 | 45 hours of DCF training | $1,393 (sponsored) | 80% |
| Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship | Main | 288 + 4,000 on the job | DOL apprenticeship certificate; DCF Staff Credential eligibility | – | 100% |
| Child Care Center Operations | Main | 45 | DCF Director’s Credential | $286.40 | 83% |
MTC also teaches Digital Photography Technology and Fundamental Foodservice Skills at the Main Campus; we could not confirm their 2026-27 hours or costs from the program pages. Apprenticeships run in electrical work, building construction, HVAC, plumbing, drafting, window and door installation and electrical instrumentation, and the early childhood apprenticeship is open only to people employed in child care. Students can earn articulated college credit in 67% of MTC’s programs, according to its 2025-26 Fast Facts.
What the main programs cover
Practical Nursing
Admission runs in two phases and uses the TEAS, with a minimum score of 58, and the PERT, which counts for ranking only. Before starting, students pay for a physical, a background check ($70 to $90), CastleBranch ($24), the TEAS ($110) and the PERT ($10); NCLEX fees ($200 plus $110) come at the end. The day cohort starts in August or January and moves to a hybrid schedule from the second term. The evening/hybrid cohort starts in August and splits its 1,350 hours into 688.5 on campus and 661.5 online. Clinical rotations are at outside health sites.
Dental Assisting Technology and Management
CODA has accredited this program since May 1967, and its next review is due in 2030. The 1,230 hours are taught in a hybrid format over about 11 months. For the last three months, students are on an externship Monday to Thursday, and in the final month they sit DANB exams. Completers hold Florida’s Expanded Functions and Dental Radiographer certificates. High-school students can take the program through dual enrollment only if they turn 18 by 1 November. The program articulates to the Dental Assisting A.S.
Florida Law Enforcement Academy
Recruits attend weekdays from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm for about six months. The academy’s page lists the East Campus, and range, driving and shoot-house training take place at the Law Enforcement Training Center on Taylor Road in Myakka City, run in partnership with the City of Bradenton and also used by the Bradenton Police Department. It has a 50-yard pistol range, a 200-yard rifle range and a 300-by-600-foot driving pad. Before admission, applicants pass the CJBAT, a polygraph, a drug screen and a background check, and completers take the state officer exam.
Paramedic
Applicants must already hold a Florida EMT license, bring 250 hours of patient contact and pass an interview. Classes meet Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, for about 12 months, and each cohort follows a county shift: the August class is C-shift and the January class is A-shift. Students earn ACLS, PALS and PHTLS cards along the way and finish ready for the Florida paramedic and NREMT exams. The program page reports 100% retention and 100% positive placement alongside its 87% NREMT cognitive success rate.
HVAC/R
The day program’s 1,350 hours run full-time, about 12 months. The evening program meets Monday to Thursday, 5:15 to 10:00 pm, starts only in August and takes about 13 months for 750 hours, so it covers fewer hours than the day program. Both work toward HVAC Excellence Employment Ready certificates in electrical, air conditioning and heat pumps, and the EPA Section 608 refrigerant certification. MTC also runs an HVAC apprenticeship, with 14 apprentices listed.
Marine Service Technologies
All training is on the Main Campus, in day classes over about 11 months. The 1,350 hours move from rigging to outboard engines and diagnostics, inboard gasoline and diesel engines, and drive trains. Along the way students work toward ABYC Marine Electrician, NMEA 2000 and Basic Marine Electronics Installer, Yamaha maintenance, Suzuki Levels 1 and 2 and Mercury Marine Systems Technician credentials, plus forklift and US Coast Guard CPR cards. The program page reports 89% job placement, without a year.
$2.92 a clock hour, and no federal loans
Every 2026-27 program page sets tuition at $2.92 per clock hour for Florida residents and $11.71 for non-residents; there is no separate in-county rate. A $60 facility and equipment fee is included in each program’s tuition, lab and fees figure, and the application fee is $45 (non-refundable). At those rates, tuition alone for the 1,350-hour Practical Nursing program is about $3,942 for a resident and about $15,800 for a non-resident, before lab fees, books and uniforms.
Program totals for residents run from $286.40 (Child Care Center Operations) to $9,196.40 (Practical Nursing). Other examples: Welding $8,385, Master Automotive (day) $7,950, Dental Assisting $7,279.60, Machining $6,309 and Cosmetology $6,185.45. Health programs add costs before admission, such as a physical, background check and entrance tests, and licensing exams cost extra. Fees are paid for each occupational completion point (OCP) at least 14 days before it starts; a student who withdraws by the end of the fifth class day gets a full tuition refund, and there is no refund after that.
MTC takes part in Pell Grants, FSEOG and Federal Work-Study (work-study needs a program of 600 hours or more), but its catalog says it does not offer student loans. Programs under 600 hours, such as Nursing Assistant, EMT and the child care programs, are not Pell-eligible. Florida students can use Bright Futures, the FSAG career education grant (programs of 450 hours or more) and Florida Prepaid (tuition only). The MTC Scholarship “typically covers up to 50% of tuition only”, and the 2026-27 program guide says more than $4.5 million in scholarships was awarded the previous year. Several program pages mention CareerSource Suncoast funding. In 2023-24, 31% of full-time beginners received Pell Grants, and IPEDS put the average net price for full-time beginners at $4,701.
Veterans and their families can use VA education benefits under chapters 30, 31, 33, 35 and 1606, and military Tuition Assistance is accepted; chapter 31 and 33 students can defer tuition for up to 90 days.
Admissions and schedule: August and January starts
Students apply online and then complete a to-do list on the MTC dashboard; applying does not guarantee a place. Students in programs of 450 hours or more take a basic skills assessment within six weeks of admission unless they are exempt, for example by holding an associate degree. All East Campus programs require a standard high-school diploma or GED; some Main Campus programs can admit students without one in special cases. High-school students can enroll through career dual enrollment, generally from age 16.
Health and public-safety programs add their own steps: immunizations, a drug screen and a background check, the TEAS and PERT for Practical Nursing, a Florida EMT license for Paramedic, and US citizenship, the CJBAT and a polygraph for the police academy. Practical Nursing, Surgical Technology, Dental Assisting, Paramedic and the academy admit selective cohorts.
Most programs start in August and January. Day classes usually run 8:00 to 3:00; evening classes meet Monday to Thursday, 6:00 to 10:00 pm, in automotive, diesel, electricity, HVAC (from 5:15), welding, barbering, cosmetology, facials, nails, EMT and fire. Practical Nursing, Surgical Technology, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technician, Massage Therapy, Applied Cybersecurity and Advanced Manufacturing are hybrid. Missing more than 10% of an OCP can lead to withdrawal.
Accreditation and results
MTC has been accredited by the Council on Occupational Education (COE) since November 1980, and its next review is due on 31 December 2029 (College Navigator). We found no adverse accreditation or regulatory action. As a district college it is overseen by the Florida Department of Education, not the Commission for Independent Education. Dental Assisting is accredited by CODA, Master Automotive Service Technology holds ASE’s Master accreditation (reaffirmed December 2024), and Practical Nursing is approved by the Florida Board of Nursing. CODA is the only programmatic accreditor federal data list for MTC; students who need a programmatically accredited Medical Assisting or Paramedic program for a particular exam should ask MTC about those programs’ status.
| Measure | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total graduation rate (completers) | 86% | MTC Fast Facts 2025-26, per the Florida Department of Education |
| Placement rate | 83% | MTC Fast Facts 2025-26, from its COE annual report |
| Licensure exam pass rate | 98% | MTC Fast Facts 2025-26, from its 2024-25 COE annual report |
| Graduation within 150% of normal time (first-time, full-time students who began in 2021-22) | 64% | IPEDS |
| NCLEX-PN first-time pass rate, January–March 2025 | 9 of 10 (90.00%) | Florida Board of Nursing |
| NCLEX-PN first-time pass rate, January–March 2026 | 15 of 17 (88.24%) | Florida Board of Nursing |
| Medical Assisting placement, 2020–2024 cumulative | 92.73% | Program page |
| Paramedic NREMT cognitive success (“most recent”) | 87% | Program page |
The COE figures count program completers and leavers in one reporting year, so they run higher than the federal rate, which follows first-time, full-time students from entry. We could not read the Board of Nursing’s full-year NCLEX-PN reports for 2024 or 2025. We found no published pass rates for MTC’s dental, surgical technology, CNA, police academy, fire or beauty exams.
What is changing at MTC
- An Aviation Training Center at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (7970 15th Street East) is under construction, with the first Aviation Airframe Mechanics class due in January 2027: 1,350 hours, about 11 months, preparing for the FAA Airframe written, oral and practical exams, with a 2026-27 estimated total of $7,130. A path to the full Airframe and Powerplant certificate is pending FAA approval.
- The Law Enforcement Training Center in Myakka City, a $7.01 million range and driving facility run in partnership with the City of Bradenton, held its grand opening in February 2025.
- Several programs in MTC’s May 2025 program guide are missing from its March 2026 and 2026-27 guides: Medical Coder/Biller, Medical Administrative Specialist, Central Sterile Processing Technology, Administrative Office Specialist and Global Logistics and Supply Chain Technology. Mechatronics Technology had already gone. We could not confirm when each closed.
- Medical coding now runs only as a non-credit, fully online CPC course of about six months ($3,000), which MTC’s flyer says is not COE-accredited.
- Nails Specialty is new for 2026-27 and runs only if enough students enroll.
Before you enroll
- MTC trains LPNs, not RNs. Students aiming for an RN license will need a separate college program later.
- There are no federal student loans, and programs under 600 hours are not Pell-eligible, so short programs and living costs must be covered another way.
- Tuition for students who are not Florida residents is four times the resident rate per clock hour.
- MTC’s own pages give two different lengths for Electricity, Diesel Systems Technician 1 and Medical Assisting. Ask for the current hours and schedule in writing before enrolling.
- Surgical Technology prepares for the NCCT TS-C exam, and its pages mention neither CAAHEP accreditation nor the NBSTSA CST exam. Check which credential the hospitals you want to work for require.
Career help, and no housing
MTC is a commuter college with no student housing. Its Career Board lists job openings, and a Business and Industry Specialist and career counselors help completers, but the catalog says students are responsible for finding their own jobs. Program pages name local employers such as Sarasota Memorial, Manatee Memorial, Air Products and Pierce Manufacturing. Students can join SkillsUSA or HOSA; MTC students won 33 gold medals at the 2024 Florida SkillsUSA championships.
What students say
On Niche, Manatee Technical College averages 4.39 out of 5 from 36 reviews, with an overall grade of B (checked 8 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise caring, committed instructors, well-equipped shops, especially in automotive, and the split between classroom and hands-on time. Complaints include evening welding classes said to get less instruction than day classes, uneven teaching quality between programs, and a wish for more real-world job preparation. The reviews we could see date from June 2024 to January 2025 and show no sign of a burst of invited reviews, but 36 reviews across about 40 programs say little about any one program.
Sources
Checked October 2026: MTC career and technical programs · 2026-27 program guide (PDF) · 2025-26 catalog (PDF) · Fast Facts 2025-26 (PDF) · MTC accreditation · College Navigator (IPEDS) · Florida Board of Nursing NCLEX-PN, Q1 2026 · Niche
Programs & Courses
Health sciences (East Campus)
- Practical Nursing (LPN; 1,350 hours)
- Surgical Technology (1,440 hours)
- Dental Assisting Technology and Management (1,230 hours; CODA)
- Medical Assisting
- Pharmacy Technician (1,050 hours)
- Massage Therapy (750 hours)
- Patient Care Technician (600 hours)
- Nursing Assistant (165 hours)
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-ATD; 300 hours)
- Paramedic (1,100 hours)
Public safety (East Campus)
- Florida Law Enforcement Academy (770 hours)
- Firefighter (492 hours)
- Firefighter/EMT Combined (792 hours)
Automotive, diesel and marine (Main Campus)
- Master Automotive Service Technology (day and evening; ASE Master accredited)
- Automotive Collision Technology Technician
- Diesel Systems Technician 1
- Marine Service Technologies
Construction, electrical and HVAC (Main Campus)
- Building Construction Technologies
- Electricity
- Electrical and Instrumentation Technology 1
- Heating, Ventilation, Air-Conditioning/Refrigeration (day and evening)
- Computer-Aided Drawing and Modeling
Welding and manufacturing (Main Campus)
- Welding Technology
- Machining Technologies
- CNC Production Specialist
- Advanced Manufacturing and Production Technology
Business, IT and design (Main Campus)
- Accounting Operations
- Applied Cybersecurity (hybrid)
- Computer Systems & Information Technology
- Digital Design
- Digital Photography Technology
- Digital Video Technology
Culinary (Main Campus)
- Baking and Pastry Arts
- Fundamental Foodservice Skills
Cosmetology and barbering (Main Campus)
- Cosmetology
- Barbering
- Facials Specialty
- Nails Specialty (new; runs if enough students enroll)
Early childhood (Main Campus)
- Early Childhood Education Pre-Apprenticeship
- Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship (for people employed in child care)
- Child Care Center Operations (45 hours)
Apprenticeships
- Electrical, Building Construction, HVAC, Plumbing, Drafting, Window and Door Installer, Electrical Instrumentation
Campus Locations
Bradenton, FL 6305 State Road 70 East, Bradenton, FL 34203
Bradenton, FL 5520 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton, FL 34211