What Is It Known For?
The Pennsylvania Institute of Technology, founded in 1953 by aerospace engineer Walter Garrison, is a private, not-for-profit institution located in the suburb of Media, Pennsylvania. The school is not part of a larger network of state community colleges, as it is a private institution.
With a suburban campus setting, the institute has a total enrollment of 454 students, with approximately 300 students attending each year. Known for its career-focused education, P.I.T. has prepared tens of thousands of students in the Delaware Valley for high-demand, rewarding careers.
Degrees & Certifications
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology offers a variety of educational options to suit different career goals. Students can choose from two-year associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and certificate programs.
Some popular areas of study include:
- Physical Therapy
- Nursing
- Cannabis Studies
- And Much More!
Class Schedules
The Pennsylvania Institute of Technology offers flexible class schedules, including part-time, evening, and weekend options. Students can choose from traditional classroom settings, online courses, or a mix of both with hybrid courses. The school includes hands-on learning in its programs, such as class projects, research, internships, and externships.
Is It Legit?
Yes. The Pennsylvania Institute of Technology is a legitimate institution. The school is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
Acceptance Rate
The Pennsylvania Institute of Technology’s acceptance rate is 100%.
How Much Does Tuition Cost?
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology’s tuition rates are set per credit hour. For the 2023-2024 academic year, tuition is $485 per credit hour, increasing slightly to $500 per credit hour for 2024-2025. Students taking 9 or more credits per term are considered full-time.
It’s important to note that additional fees may apply, and indirect costs such as books, course materials, and transportation are not included in the tuition. For a more accurate estimate of your potential expenses, you can use the school’s net price calculator.
Programs & Courses
Business
- Business Administration
Healthcare
- Allied Health
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Healthcare Management
- LPN
- Medical Assistant
- Physical Therapist Assistant
Campus Locations
Media 800 Manchester Ave Media, PA 19063
Reviews
Based on local Google reviews, the Pennsylvania Institute of Technology (PIT) in Media, PA, presents a very mixed picture, with strong praise for its supportive environment contrasting sharply with serious and recent complaints about academics and finance.
Overall Score: 3.6/5 Stars
Common Praises
Family-Friendly Support: The most detailed recent praise focuses on the school’s supportive and understanding environment for adult learners. One reviewer (5 months ago) emphasized that the staff is there for students “through everything” and “understand that you have a family… you need to take care of,” suggesting flexibility and dedication to students with external responsibilities.
Positive Personal Experience: Several 5-star reviews, including recent ones, provide high but vague praise, calling it “the best” and thanking the school, indicating a strong positive experience for some individuals.
Active Owner Engagement: The school owner consistently and promptly responds to all reviews, both positive and negative. This shows a commitment to engaging with student feedback and attempting to resolve issues.
Common Criticisms
Program Quality and Control: A major criticism centers on the academic environment, particularly in accelerated programs. One reviewer for the Practical Nursing Program complained about an excessive enrollment of 130 students, leading to “absolutely no control in the classrooms or during lectures” and calling the program a “total joke and rip off.”
Financial/Refund Issues: The same critical review highlights a problem with having to pay “some of the tuition” even after leaving just two weeks into the program. The owner’s response acknowledged that the accelerated nature can be “quite overwhelming for some students,” suggesting high attrition, but confirmed that only partial refunds are offered after the first week.
Unspecified Negative Experiences: Older reviews contain highly negative, albeit short, warnings to prospective students, such as “Don’t waste your time or your money going here” (9 years ago) and “Hell no don’t go there” (7 years ago), indicating long-standing and intense dissatisfaction among some former students.
Dispute Resolution: A detailed negative review from a year ago suggests a long-running dispute that started when the student took a program entrance exam, suggesting complexities in admissions or internal processes.
Momentum
The current momentum is highly polarized. On one hand, the most recent student feedback (5 months ago) praises the school’s personal and familial support, which is crucial for a non-traditional college. On the other hand, recent, detailed negative reviews (within the last 2 years) reveal serious issues concerning the quality control, large class sizes, and financial policies of specific career programs, particularly the accelerated tracks. The institution appears to be working hard to resolve issues, as evidenced by the active owner responses, but it is still generating strong feelings of both love and severe disappointment among its students.