What Is It Known For?
Manhattan Tech earned recognition as the #1 community college in the nation for 2024 by WalletHub. The school traces its roots to 1965, when the Manhattan Board of Education established the Manhattan Area Vocational-Technical School following new Kansas legislation.
After several name changes and transitions, it became Manhattan Area Technical College in 1996 and gained its own Board of Directors in 2004. The college serves around 968 students annually, maintaining a focused learning environment where instructors know their students by name.
Degrees & Certifications
Students at Manhattan Tech have the opportunity to pursue associate degrees, technical certificates, and industry-recognized credentials. Depending on the program, studies may last only a few weeks or extend up to two years. Courses offered include:
- Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
- Automotive Technology
- Certified Nurse Aide
- Plumbing Technology
- Administrative Assistant
- Practical Nursing
- And Much More!
Class Schedules
Courses are held on campus at Manhattan Tech or online through their Teaching and Learning Center, which promotes innovative teaching practices and facilitates access to online training. The school offers flexible scheduling with evening class options, though availability depends on your specific program of study.
Healthcare programs incorporate externships and other forms of hands-on training to give students real-world experience before graduation. This practical approach means you’ll work in actual healthcare settings as part of your education, not just practice in campus labs.
Is It a Good School?
Yes. Manhattan Tech is a legitimate institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The school also maintains programmatic accreditations for individual programs, which means graduates meet industry standards required by employers.
Acceptance Rate
Manhattan Tech has a 100% acceptance rate.
How Much Does Tuition Cost?
Tuition is charged per credit hour and depends on your chosen course. Prices range between $125 for General Education courses and $270 for Nursing-Practical courses and Electric Power & Distribution courses.
These figures represent only the cost of specific programs. Your total cost of attendance will include fees, books, supplies, and living expenses. To get a better overview of how much you should budget, we recommend using the school’s net price calculator.
Programs & Courses
Business
- Business Accounting
- Business Administrative Assistant
Healthcare
- Associate Degree of Nursing
- Practical Nursing
- Medical Laboratory Technology
- Certified Nurse Aide Refresher
- Certified Nurse Assistant
- Phlebotomy
Skilled Trades
- Automotive Technology
- Construction Technology
- Electrical Technology
- Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning
- Plumbing Technology
- Welding
Campus Locations
Manhattan 3136 Dickens Ave Manhattan, KS 66503
Reviews
Based on reviews in Google, Manhattan Area Technical College (MATC) receives conflicting feedback, with recent and severe complaints about the nursing programs and consistent, long-standing issues with communication and administrative unprofessionalism, contrasting with positive comments about specific short-term programs and facilities.
Overall Score: 3.2/5 Stars
Common Praises
Positive Experience in Short-Term Programs: Students who attended for certifications like CNA, phlebotomy, and refreshers generally had a great experience, praising the professors as “great.”
Professional Testing Center: The staff at the testing center are specifically noted as “great and very professional.”
Good Facilities: A few older reviews describe the facility as “very impressive.”
Recent Positive Endorsements: There are a few recent, though unelaborated, reviews calling it a “very good institution to study at.”
Common Criticisms
Severe Deterioration of the Nursing Program: This is the most significant and frequent criticism, dominating recent negative reviews (within the last 1-6 years). Reviewers claim the once “FANTASTIC” program is now “unnecessarily hard” and unprofessional. Students widely regret attending, stating the program is “not at all what they said it would be,” and that the school “do[es] not care about the students one bit.”
Inconsistent and Unfair Rule Enforcement: A recurring theme is the perceived arbitrary application of rules. Reviewers state that rules are “made up as they go” and are “intermittently enforced depending on the mood of the faculty,” sometimes showing “blatantly obvious favoritism.” This suggests a major lack of standardization and professionalism.
Major Communication and Administrative Failures: This issue is consistent across many years. Reviewers report a “serious lack of communication,” leading to students being unable to reach staff for enrollment for months. They strongly advise potential students to “get whatever they’re telling you in writing” due to frequent miscommunication.
Unforgiving Policies (Absences/Military): The school is criticized for being extremely “unforgiving of absences” even for family emergencies. Furthermore, one reviewer noted the school claims to be military-friendly but becomes difficult when dealing with military issues, and criticized a staff member for being “clueless” about the GI bill.
Lack of Career Assistance and Outdated Training: One graduate from the Information Networking Technology program from 2007 expressed significant frustration, claiming the school “doesn’t provide any sort of assistance or guidance for job seekers” and that the training and degree were “outdated” for the workforce.
Momentum
The current momentum is negative, heavily driven by the severe dissatisfaction with the nursing program and the long-standing frustration with administrative communication issues, as seen in reviews from the last two years. The most recent reviews are critical of the nursing school’s policies and staff professionalism. While the short-term certification programs appear to be successful, the poor reputation of the flagship nursing program is driving the low overall rating and overshadowing other positive experiences.