| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year technical college; campus-based, with business programs also online |
| Locations | Main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, and the Wamego Center (general education and CNA) |
| Credentials | Associate of Applied Science (AAS), Technical Certificates A, B and C, and Certificates of Completion |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission since 2006; continued January 2025, next reaffirmation 2030-31 |
| Federal aid | Yes (OPEID 005500) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $125 to $304 per credit hour by program, plus a $142 per-credit fee; no residency tiers |
| Students | 878 in fall 2024, 26% full-time (federal data) |
| Founded | 1965, as Manhattan Area Vocational-Technical School; independent college since 2004 |
| Housing | None on campus |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A public technical college in Manhattan, Kansas
Manhattan Area Technical College, known as Manhattan Tech, opened in 1965 when the Kansas State Board of Education established the Manhattan Area Vocational-Technical School; classes first met at Manhattan High School and moved to Dickens Avenue in 1967. It became Manhattan Area Technical Center in 1992 and Manhattan Area Technical College in 1996, and it has run under its own governing board, separate from the Manhattan-Ogden school district, since July 2004.
Federal data count 878 students in fall 2024, about a quarter of them full-time. WalletHub’s annual community college ranking placed Manhattan Tech first in the nation in 2024 and second in 2025 and 2026. In August 2024 the college opened a 47,000-square-foot Advanced Technology Center for construction, HVAC, plumbing and electrician training.
Programs at Manhattan Tech
The college awards two-year AAS degrees, Technical Certificates A, B and C, and Certificates of Completion for short healthcare courses. The table lists the main programs with the college’s own 2026-27 cost estimate for the AAS, which covers tuition, fees, books and tools. Most programs start in August.
| Program | Credentials (credits) | Delivery | Prepares for | College’s estimate (AAS, 2026-27 unless noted) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree Nursing | AAS, 62 credits | Full-time day, on campus, with clinicals; LPNs or recent Manhattan Tech PN graduates only | NCLEX-RN | $23,283 |
| Practical Nursing | Technical Certificate C, 46 credits | Full-time, on campus, August start, with clinicals | NCLEX-PN | $22,248 |
| Medical Laboratory Technology | AAS, 68 credits | Online lectures, in-person labs, clinical experience | Board of Certification exam | $26,789 |
| Certified Nurse Aide (CNA) | Certificate of Completion, 5 credits | Lecture, lab and three clinical shifts; Manhattan and Wamego | Kansas CNA exam | $1,632 (2025-26) |
| Phlebotomy | Certificate of Completion (3-credit course; 2-credit clinical optional) | Online lectures, in-person skills labs | Clinical needed toward the ASCP PBT exam | $1,282 (2025-26) |
| Automotive Technology | AAS, 66; Technical Certificate C, 51; A, 19 | On campus | ASE exams | $35,054 with tools |
| Welding Technology | AAS, 63; Technical Certificate B, 42; A, 19 | On campus | AWS qualification tests, NC3, OSHA 10 | $29,165 |
| Plumbing Technology (since fall 2025) | AAS, 62; Technical Certificate B, 38; A, 19 | On campus | – | $26,078 |
| HVAC | AAS, 61; Technical Certificate B, 40 | On campus | EPA 608, OSHA 10, HVAC Excellence | $25,971 |
| Construction Technology | AAS, 61; Technical Certificate B, 34; A, 16 | On campus | OSHA 10, NCCER Core, NCCER Carpentry 1 and 2 | $25,278 |
| Electrical Technology (since fall 2025) | AAS, 61; Technical Certificate B, 34 | On campus | – | $24,994 |
| Electric Power & Distribution | AAS; Technical Certificate C | On campus | – | – |
| Industrial Maintenance Technology | AAS; Technical Certificates A and B | On campus | – | – |
| Business Accounting | AAS, 62; Technical Certificate B, 36 | On campus or online; August and January starts | MOS, OPAC | $21,802 |
| Administrative Assistant | AAS, 63; Technical Certificate B, 36 | On campus or online; August and January starts | MOS, OPAC | $21,264 |
| Early Childhood Education | AAS, 60; Technical Certificate B, 30; A, 18 | Online lectures, evening labs | CDA credential | $21,447 |
| Computer Support Specialist | AAS; Technical Certificates A and B | On campus | – | – |
Programmatic accreditation and approvals: ACEN for Associate Degree Nursing, the Kansas State Board of Nursing for Practical Nursing and the ADN, NAACLS for Medical Laboratory Technology, the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services for the CNA course, and the ASE Education Foundation for Automotive Technology.
Through K-State’s MHK Pathway, which began in spring 2026, students not yet admitted to Kansas State University can live in K-State housing, take at least 9 credits a semester at Manhattan Tech and at least 3 at K-State and transfer to K-State after 24 credits with a 2.0 GPA.
What the main programs cover
Associate Degree Nursing (LPN to RN)
The AAS totals 62 credits; the college’s cost sheet lists 28 prerequisite credits and a nursing year of two 12-credit courses, NUR 221 and NUR 230, with clinicals. It is a full-time daytime program on campus. There are two ways in: Fall Transfer-In, for applicants who already hold an active Kansas-recognized LPN license, and Bridge, for recent Manhattan Tech Practical Nursing graduates. Up to 24 students are admitted. The deadline for fall 2027 is 1 February 2027, a deposit holds a seat and applicants must pass a background check.
Practical Nursing
The certificate totals 46 credits including prerequisites, spread over three terms on the college’s cost sheet. It is full-time and on campus, starting in August, and the program page mentions no part-time or evening option. Clinical rotations at outside facilities are mandatory, and clinical sites may require vaccinations. Admission is selective, with a program checklist and deadlines. Graduates take the NCLEX-PN for a practical nursing license, and recent graduates can move into the ADN through its Bridge entry.
Medical Laboratory Technology
Lectures are online and labs are in person, with clinical experiences at partner sites. The AAS is 68 credits and starts in August. The program prepares students for a Board of Certification exam for medical laboratory technicians. Its published NAACLS outcome measures for 2022-23 to 2024-25 show 100% graduation for students in the final half of the program and 100% employment or continuing education within a year, but cohorts are small.
Welding Technology
Students work through gas metal arc (GMAW), gas tungsten arc (GTAW), shielded metal arc (SMAW) and flux-cored (FCAW) welding in multiple positions, testing to American Welding Society weld procedure qualifications and the AWS D1.1 all-position plate test. OSHA 10 and NC3 certifications are part of the program. The AAS is 63 credits; certificates of 42 and 19 credits are shorter exits. Applicants take the Accuplacer, attend a program orientation and pay a non-refundable seat deposit.
Construction Technology
The program centres on carpentry: framing, blueprint reading, concrete and foundations, finish carpentry, estimating and building codes. Construction is one of the programs housed in the Advanced Technology Center that opened in 2024, alongside HVAC, plumbing and electrician training, and reports at its opening said it could double enrollment in several of them. The shortest credential, Technical Certificate A, is aimed at upskilling, and the 61-credit AAS is the longest option.
Automotive Technology
The program covers the eight ASE test areas, A1 to A8, and the college says it is accredited through the ASE Education Foundation. The AAS is 66 credits and Technical Certificate C 51; the 19-credit Technical Certificate A is meant for technicians already employed who want to prepare for ASE certification. Applicants take the Accuplacer placement assessment, attend an orientation, pay a non-refundable seat deposit and need an unrestricted driver’s license.
Tuition by program, fees and how students pay
Manhattan Tech does not charge different rates for Kansas residents and out-of-state students. Instead, 2026-27 tuition is set by program, per credit hour, and every course also carries a $142 per-credit college fee plus course and lab fees, according to the college’s 2026-27 tuition page.
| 2026-27 tuition per credit hour | Tuition | With the $142 college fee |
|---|---|---|
| General education courses | $125 | $267 |
| Business Accounting and Administrative Assistant courses | $201 | $343 |
| Early Childhood Education and short healthcare courses (CNA, CMA, phlebotomy) | $240 | $382 |
| Automotive, construction, computer support, electrical, HVAC, industrial maintenance, MLT, plumbing and welding | $288 | $430 |
| Nursing (ADN and Practical) and Electric Power & Distribution | $304 | $446 |
The college’s whole-program estimates for AAS degrees run from about $21,000 for business and early childhood education to about $35,000 for automotive technology, which includes tools. The posted CNA cost of $1,632 is the 2025-26 figure; the 2026-27 cost sheet could not be read when we checked. Federal College Navigator data give annual tuition and fees of $9,844 for 2024-25 and an average net price of $9,745 for full-time beginners receiving grants in 2023-24.
Manhattan Tech takes federal student aid (OPEID 005500), and 41% of full-time beginners received Pell Grants in 2023-24, according to federal data. A reduced tuition rate applies to high-school students. For military students, the college runs a Technical Skills Center at Fort Riley that supports service members, veterans and their families and lists the GI Bill, Tuition Assistance and SpouseWorks among the ways to pay.
Open admission, with selective nursing
Admission is open, with a $40 application fee (2024-25). Nursing is the exception: Practical Nursing is selective, and Associate Degree Nursing takes only licensed LPNs or recent Manhattan Tech Practical Nursing graduates, up to 24 a year. Trades programs require an Accuplacer placement assessment, a program orientation and a non-refundable seat deposit of $250 (plumbing and welding), $350 (electrical) or $500 (automotive).
Most programs start in August; Business Accounting and Administrative Assistant also start in January and can be taken on campus or online. Early Childhood Education uses online lectures with evening labs, and Medical Laboratory Technology and phlebotomy use online lectures with in-person labs. High-school students can take dual-credit classes at four area high schools.
Accreditation and results
Manhattan Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since October 2006. After its 2020-21 review, HLC reaffirmed accreditation with monitoring on assessment and accepted the college’s follow-up report in August 2023. Following an October 2024 evaluation visit, HLC continued its accreditation on 6 January 2025, with the next reaffirmation due in 2030-31; no sanctions are listed.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate | 100% (three-year average 97.33%; Kansas 2025 average 92.79%) | 2025, Kansas State Board of Nursing |
| Associate Degree Nursing, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 90.91% (three-year average 94.25%; Kansas 2025 average 89.19%) | 2025, Kansas State Board of Nursing |
| Medical Laboratory Technology, certification exam pass rate | 100% each year; small cohorts | 2022-23 to 2024-25, college’s NAACLS outcome measures |
| Practical Nursing completion | 86% | 2024, college program page |
| Associate Degree Nursing completion | 82.14% | 2024, college program page |
| Graduation rate, full-time first-time students | 74% within 150% of normal time | Fall 2021 entrants, College Navigator |
The college publishes no college-wide job placement rate, and its trades programs publish no completion or credential pass rates on their program pages. Electrical and plumbing started in fall 2025 and have published no results yet.
Before you enroll
- The RN degree is not open to beginners. You need an active Kansas-recognized LPN license or a recent Manhattan Tech Practical Nursing certificate, and there are only 24 seats.
- The per-credit price depends on the program: a nursing credit costs $446 with the college fee, against $267 for a general education course. Check the cost sheet for your program, and budget for housing, since the college has none.
- The phlebotomy certificate rests on one 3-credit course. The page says the course alone does not lead to national certification; the 2-credit clinical, which is optional, is needed toward the ASCP phlebotomy technician exam.
- The Wamego Center offers general education and CNA classes; welding, electrician and construction training there are still only planned. Nursing, laboratory and trade programs are taught in Manhattan.
- Of the programs we checked, only the two business programs are offered online as well as on campus. The others need regular time on campus for labs, and nursing and laboratory students also attend clinical placements at outside facilities.
Where Manhattan Tech teaches
The main campus is at 3136 Dickens Ave, Manhattan, KS 66503, and the program pages give this address. The Wamego Center, 614 E US Highway 24, Wamego, KS 66547, offers general education courses and CNA classes, and the college plans welding, electrician and construction training there. The Fort Riley Technical Skills Center serves the military community on post and is not open to the general public as a campus, and the college’s high-school dual-credit sites serve enrolled high-school students.
Clinicals, certifications and housing
There is no campus housing; students in the MHK Pathway live in K-State residence halls. Work-based learning is built into the health programs through nursing and MLT clinical rotations and CNA clinical shifts, and industry certifications are built into the trades programs, including OSHA 10, NCCER, AWS, EPA 608 and ASE preparation. The Advanced Technology Center also includes a BSL-3 simulation lab.
What students say
On Niche, Manhattan Area Technical College is rated 4.03 out of 5 from 60 reviews, with an overall grade of B+ (checked October 2026). The reviews we could read praise friendly, helpful staff, professors who care about student success and low cost. Complaints mention the lack of on-campus housing, one reviewer’s view that it is fairly average for a trade school, and a new instructor’s learning curve. Only three reviews were visible to us, so these themes rest on a small sample.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Health Sciences
- Associate Degree Nursing (AAS, LPN to RN)
- Practical Nursing (LPN)
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA), plus a CNA Refresher course
- Certified Medication Aide (CMA)
- IV Therapy
- Phlebotomy (course with optional clinical)
Construction, Energy and Manufacturing
- Construction Technology
- Electrical Technology
- Electric Power & Distribution
- Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Plumbing Technology
- Welding Technology
- Industrial Maintenance Technology
Transportation
- Automotive Technology
Business, Computers and Education
- Business Accounting
- Administrative Assistant
- Computer Support Specialist
- Early Childhood Education
General and Adult Education
- General education courses
- GED (High School Diploma)
- English Language Learner
Campus Locations
Manhattan, KS 3136 Dickens Ave, Manhattan, KS 66503
Manhattan (Wamego), KS 614 E US HWY 24, Wamego, KS 66547