| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Private, for-profit career college; campus and hybrid programs, plus a few fully online degree-completion programs |
| Campuses | 4, all in Southern California: Los Angeles (Alhambra, main campus), Anaheim, Ontario and Riverside |
| Credentials | Certificates, diplomas, associate (AS, AA) and bachelor’s (BS, BA) degrees |
| Typical length | CNA about 2 months; most associate degrees about 15 to 20 months; bachelor’s 13 to 31 months |
| Accreditation | ACCSC (institution); CoARC (Respiratory Therapy), ACOTE (Occupational Therapy Assistant), AVMA (Veterinary Technology, per Platt); state approval from BPPE to 31 August 2029 |
| Federal aid | Yes; the CNA certificate is not eligible |
| Prices | One total per program, no residency tiers; 2024 totals $2,030 (CNA) to $62,741 (Sonography BS) |
| Founded / owner | Main campus since 1985; owned by Platt College Los Angeles, LLC |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Platt College: four Southern California campuses
Platt College is a private, for-profit career college owned by Platt College Los Angeles, LLC. Its Los Angeles campus, now in Alhambra, became a main campus in 1985, and branches followed in Ontario (1997), Riverside (2011) and Anaheim (2016). The catalog traces the Platt name back to St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1879. It is a separate institution from Platt College San Diego, which has a different owner.
Most of Platt’s 3,061 students in 2024 were in associate degrees, mainly in health care: sonography, respiratory therapy, vocational nursing, occupational therapy assistant, medical assisting and veterinary technology. Platt also teaches criminal justice, information technology, graphic design and business, and offers online bachelor’s completion degrees in cybersecurity and respiratory therapy. In April 2026 the Ontario campus opened at its new address on East Guasti Road.
Programs at Platt’s four campuses
Programs, lengths and delivery below come from Platt’s 2026 catalog dated 1 October 2026 and its campus pages, checked in October 2026. Platt says availability varies by campus, so confirm with Admissions. The prices are the 2024 totals explained in the cost section.
| Program | Credential | Hours and length | Delivery | Where | Prepares for | 2024 total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography | AS | 2,060 hours; about 18 months | Hybrid or on campus | All 4 | ARDMS exams, after a year of work | $43,058 |
| DMS Health Care Management | BS | 2,860 hours; about 28 months | Hybrid or on campus | All 4 | – | $62,741 |
| Respiratory Therapy | AS | 1,995 hours; about 20 months | On campus | Alhambra, Ontario | NBRC exam (CRT, RRT) | $50,865 |
| Respiratory Therapy (completion) | BS | – | Online | Run from Anaheim | – | $12,824 |
| Vocational Nursing | Diploma or AS | 1,530 or 1,760 hours; about 15 to 23 months | On campus | Alhambra, Riverside | NCLEX-PN (LVN licence) | $34,498 diploma; $38,010 AS |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | AS | 1,926 hours; about 20 months | On campus | Anaheim | NBCOT COTA exam | $50,459 |
| Veterinary Technology | AS | 1,681 hours; about 19 months | Hybrid; online version from Alhambra | All 4 | VTNE; California RVT licence | $41,019 |
| Vet Tech Alternate Route | Certificate | 325 hours; about 6 months | Online | California students only | Education part of California’s alternate route to the RVT | $4,886 |
| Medical Assisting | AS | 1,260 hours; about 15 months | Hybrid | All 4 | A medical assisting certification exam | $30,424 |
| Medical Administrative Specialist | AS | 1,210 hours; about 15 months | Hybrid | All 4 | – | $30,424 |
| Certified Nurse Assistant | Certificate | 164 hours; about 2 to 3 months | On campus | Varies; Platt’s sources disagree, so confirm with Admissions | California CNA competency exam | $2,030 |
| Healthcare Administration (completion) | BA | 2,290 hours; about 15 months | Online, hybrid or on campus | All 4 | – | $26,805 |
| Cybersecurity (completion) | BS | As little as 13 months | Online | Run from Anaheim | – | $27,830 |
| Information Technology | AS | 1,200 hours; about 15 months | Hybrid | Anaheim, Ontario, Riverside | – | $38,779 |
| Criminal Justice | AA; BA | AA 1,150 hours, about 15 months; BA 2,350 hours, about 30 months | AA hybrid; BA on campus | AA Ontario, Riverside; BA Riverside | BSIS Guard Card | $33,893 AA; $54,277 BA |
| Graphic Design | AA | 1,200 hours; about 15 months | Hybrid or on campus | Ontario | – | $37,696 |
| Visual Communication, 2D Print | BA | 2,400 to 2,500 hours; about 30 months | Hybrid | Ontario | – | $58,010 |
| Business Management | AA; BA | AA 1,000 hours, about 13 months; BA about 25 months | Hybrid or on campus | Riverside | – | $34,510 AA |
Three of the bachelor’s degrees are completion programs that start only after an associate degree: Healthcare Administration, Cybersecurity (which needs an IT associate) and the online Respiratory Therapy BS. The Information Technology AS covers hardware, operating systems, networking, databases and cloud, and Platt names no certification exams for it. Platt also offers a 36-hour IV Therapy and Blood Withdrawal course for licensed LVNs.
What the main programs cover
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
The sonography AS is 2,060 hours and 120 quarter credits, about 18 months, taught hybrid or on campus at all four campuses, with registry review courses built in. Entry is selective: applicants need a HESI Allied Health average of 70, minimum Wonderlic scores, an in-person interview, a personal statement and a background check. Because the program is not accredited by CAAHEP, Platt’s program page says graduates are typically eligible for ARDMS exams only after one year of work experience. A 198-credit BS in DMS Health Care Management takes about 28 months.
Respiratory Therapy
Respiratory Therapy is a residential AS of 1,995 hours and 135 quarter credits, about 20 months, taught at Alhambra and Ontario. Both campuses hold CoARC continuing accreditation, under separate program numbers. Graduates take the NBRC Therapist Multiple-Choice exam, the exam that leads to the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentials. Graduates who want a bachelor’s can continue into Platt’s online RT BS completion degree, administered from Anaheim.
Vocational Nursing
Vocational Nursing prepares students for the NCLEX-PN and a California LVN licence. The diploma is 1,530 hours and 95 quarter credits (about 15 months full-time, 20 part-time); the AS is 1,760 hours and 118 credits (about 18 months full-time, 23 part-time). It is taught only in person, at Alhambra and Riverside, and the part-time track runs on nights and weekends at Riverside only. Applicants must be at least 17 and have finished 12th grade or the equivalent, as the state board requires.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
The Occupational Therapy Assistant AS is taught in person at Anaheim only: 1,926 hours and 131.5 quarter credits, about 20 months. Platt lists ACOTE accreditation on the program page, without stating the type or dates. Graduates sit the NBCOT exam for the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant credential. The program page reports that 35 of 41 students in recent cohorts graduated, 85% overall, rising from 80% in 2023 to 88% in 2025.
Veterinary Technology
Veterinary Technology is a 1,681-hour, 115-credit AS, about 19 months, taught hybrid at all four campuses and as a distance-education version from Alhambra. It prepares graduates for the VTNE and California’s RVT licence. A separate Alternate Route certificate, 325 hours over about 6 months, is fully online with no clinicals; it meets the education part of California’s alternate route, and students also need 4,416 hours of work under a California-licensed veterinarian. It is open to California students only.
Medical Assisting
Medical Assisting is an AS degree of 1,260 hours and 95 quarter credits, about 15 months, taught hybrid at every campus. It ends with an externship course (MX251) that includes venipuncture and electrocardiography. Students leave with First Aid and CPR cards, and Platt covers the first attempt at a third-party medical assisting certification exam plus a tutoring session. The related Medical Administrative Specialist AS, 1,210 hours, ends with a certification prep seminar.
2024 program prices and paying for them
Platt charges one total price per program, the same at every campus, with no in-state or out-of-state tiers. Current prices are in the Catalog Addendum to the 2026 catalog; the figures on this page are the 2024 totals Platt reported in its 2024 annual report to California’s Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE): $2,030 for the CNA certificate, $30,424 for Medical Assisting, $43,058 for the Sonography AS, $50,865 for the Respiratory Therapy AS and $62,741 for the Sonography BS. Ask Admissions for the current addendum before signing. Students who are not enrolled in a program pay $400 per quarter credit, books included, and the withdrawal administration fee is capped at $250.
Platt takes federal student aid (Pell Grants, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study and Direct Loans), Cal Grant and Chafee grants, and private loans; the CNA certificate is not eligible for federal aid. In 2024, 67% of students took federal loans, and the school’s three-year loan default rate was 0. Platt takes part in the Yellow Ribbon program, follows the GI Bill protections of 38 U.S.C. § 3679(e), and received $1,433,012 in VA education benefits in 2024. It also accepts Vocational Rehabilitation funding and offers matching grants to students sponsored by qualifying agencies.
Admission requirements and schedules
Admission is not open: most programs require a high school diploma or equivalent and a Wonderlic test. Sonography adds the HESI exam, an interview, a personal statement and a background check. The bachelor’s completion degrees require an associate degree and set Wonderlic minimums, and Cybersecurity adds an online-readiness assessment. CNA applicants must be at least 16 and clear a criminal-record check. Most classes run full-time during the day, many programs mix online and campus sessions, and Vocational Nursing has a part-time night-and-weekend track at Riverside only.
Accreditation and results
Platt is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which renewed its accreditation for five years, effective August 2022. California’s BPPE approves all four campuses under one institution code, with approval running to 31 August 2029. Respiratory Therapy has CoARC accreditation at Alhambra and Ontario, Occupational Therapy Assistant has ACOTE accreditation, and Platt says Veterinary Technology has full AVMA accreditation. The Sonography program is not accredited by CAAHEP. Vocational Nursing is approved by the state Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians (BVNPT): provisionally at Alhambra since February 2024, and fully at Riverside, where the board’s executive officer approved an additional full-time class of 24 starting in February 2026.
Alhambra’s provisional approval followed low NCLEX-PN results. Its average pass rate was 69% for July 2024 to June 2025, against a state average of 82%, according to an August 2025 BVNPT staff report; the board requires programs to be within 10 points of the state average. That report recommended extending provisional approval for two years, and Platt’s program page still described it as provisional in October 2026.
On other licensing exams, 43% of Alhambra’s Respiratory Therapy graduates (9 of 21) passed the NBRC exam in 2024, down from 68% in 2023, per the campus’s 2023–24 state performance fact sheet. Anaheim’s OTA graduates passed the NBCOT exam at 70% (7 of 10) in 2024, and 89% of CNA candidates passed the state exam in 2024, according to Platt’s BPPE report.
First-time pass rates on the VTNE from July 2023 to June 2024 were 55% at Alhambra (49 takers), 63% at Anaheim (8), 52% at Ontario (21) and 34% at Riverside (29), according to the California Veterinary Medical Board. The online Alternate Route students passed at 45% (136 takers).
The federal-style graduation rate for first-time, full-time students who started in 2019–20 and finished within 150% of normal time was 56% at Alhambra, 51% at Anaheim, 50% at Riverside and 36% at Ontario, in Platt’s April 2026 completion-rate disclosure.
In-field placement for sonography graduates is low. The four campuses’ 2023–24 state performance fact sheets show in-field placement for Sonography AS graduates of 40% to 58%, and BPPE’s 2024 figures give 49.6% for the AS and 36.7% for the BS.
Platt’s 2025 annual reports to ACCSC give graduation and in-field employment rates by campus. Each cell shows graduation within 150% of program length / employment in the field; Platt does not state the employment denominator, and a dash means the campus does not teach the program.
| Program (cohort start) | Alhambra | Anaheim | Ontario | Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic Medical Sonography AS (2022) | 87% / 72% | 89% / 71% | 70% / 70% | 85% / 72% |
| Veterinary Technology AS (Dec 2021 to Nov 2022) | 67% / 82% | 49% / 94% | 59% / 86% | 71% / 89% |
| Medical Assisting AS (Jun 2022 to May 2023) | 63% / 74% | 63% / 83% | 76% / 87% | 63% / 84% |
| Respiratory Therapy AS (Oct 2021 to Sep 2022) | 80% / 71% | – | 69% / 73% | – |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant AS (Oct 2021 to Sep 2022) | – | 76% / 83% | – | – |
| Vocational Nursing diploma (Jun 2022 to May 2023) | 57% / 77% | – | – | not in report |
| Information Technology AS (Jun 2022 to May 2023) | – | 82% / 77% | 62% / 25% | 50% / 80% |
In a citation dated 28 July 2026, BPPE fined Platt $2,501 and ordered it to correct records behind its 2022–23 performance fact sheets that lacked required data, such as student contact details and employment end dates.
Before you enroll
- The Sonography program is not CAAHEP-accredited, so graduates are typically eligible for the ARDMS exams only after a year of work experience, and only 40% to 58% of AS graduates were placed in the field in 2023–24.
- Alhambra’s Vocational Nursing program is on provisional state approval, with a 69% NCLEX-PN pass rate for July 2024 to June 2025, against an 82% state average; Riverside’s program has full approval.
- The Healthcare Administration and Cybersecurity bachelor’s degrees require an associate degree first. Their short published lengths (15 and 13 months) count only the time after it.
- Five programs had 2024 totals above $50,000, including the Respiratory Therapy AS ($50,865) and the Sonography BS ($62,741). If you might transfer later, ask the receiving college whether it accepts Platt credits.
- Platt’s online programs are not open everywhere. Its March 2026 state-authorization disclosure lists Alhambra’s distance education as approved in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Nevada and Utah, and the Vet Tech Alternate Route is for California students only.
- This is not Platt College San Diego, a separate school with a different owner.
Exam fees and career help
Platt offers no student housing. The Medical Assisting program covers the graduate’s first certification exam fee and a tutoring session, worth up to $200, and Criminal Justice includes BSIS Guard Card training (the 8-hour power-to-arrest course plus 32 hours) at no extra cost. Platt describes its career services on its About page and publishes the method it uses to count job placements.
What students say on Niche
Three of Platt’s campus pages on Niche have more than 25 reviews (checked October 2026): Alhambra is rated 3.92 out of 5 from 103 reviews (grade C−), Ontario 3.95 from 73 (C+) and Riverside 4.32 from 38 (C). Anaheim has too few reviews to summarize. Reviewers most often praise supportive staff and instructors, especially in admissions and financial aid, small classes with free tutoring, and hands-on labs with help finding externships. The main complaints are the high cost and credits that don’t transfer, an accelerated pace with little time to review, and weak externships or job help after graduation. The reviews arrive in clusters: many Alhambra reviews date from 2017 to 2019, and Riverside had a run from July to September 2025. We saw no sign that the school invited them.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Medical Sciences
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography (AS)
- DMS Health Care Management (BS)
- Respiratory Therapy (AS; online BS completion)
- Occupational Therapy Assistant (AS, Anaheim)
- Medical Assisting (AS)
- Medical Administrative Specialist (AS)
- Healthcare Administration (BA completion)
Nursing
- Vocational Nursing (LVN; diploma or AS)
- Certified Nurse Assistant (certificate)
Veterinary
- Veterinary Technology (AS)
- Veterinary Technology Alternate Route (online certificate, California)
Information Technology
- Information Technology (AS)
- Cybersecurity (online BS completion)
Business and Criminal Justice
- Criminal Justice (AA; BA at Riverside)
- Business Management (AA and BA, Riverside)
Design
- Graphic Design (AA, Ontario)
- Visual Communication, 2D Print (BA, Ontario)
Campus Locations
Los Angeles (Alhambra), CA 1000 South Fremont Ave., Ste A9W, Alhambra, CA 91803
Anaheim, CA 1400 S. Douglass Road Suite 125, Anaheim, CA 92806
Ontario, CA 3110 East Guasti Road Suite 100, Ontario, CA 91761
Riverside, CA 6465 Sycamore Canyon Blvd., Ste 100, Riverside, CA 92507