| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year technical college, campus-based |
| Campuses | 1: 2562 Centennial Road, Salina, Kansas |
| Credentials | Technical certificates (levels A, B and C), Associate of Applied Science degrees and short certificates of completion |
| Typical length | About 9 months for most certificates, 2 years for an AAS; truck driving 6 or 8 weeks |
| Accreditation | Higher Learning Commission (since 2016); ACEN initial accreditation for the nursing degree; CODA for dental assisting and dental hygiene |
| Federal aid | Yes (Pell Grants and federal loans) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $160 per credit for standard technical courses, up to $350 in dental hygiene, plus a $40 per-credit fee; same for Kansas and out-of-state students |
| Students | 1,017 in fall 2025 |
| Governance | Own Board of Trustees, coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
Salina Tech: a public technical college on one Salina campus
Salina Area Technical College, known as Salina Tech, is a public two-year technical college in Salina, Kansas. It is governed by its own Board of Trustees and coordinated by the Kansas Board of Regents. All of its programs are taught on one campus on Centennial Road, and they lead to technical certificates, Associate of Applied Science degrees or short certificates of completion such as nurse aide and truck driving.
Fall 2025 enrollment was 1,017 on the Kansas Board of Regents census count, the college says, the third year above 1,000. Two recent changes stand out: ACEN initial accreditation for the associate degree nursing program was announced in May 2026, and the college has agreed to take over a former Saint Francis Ministries campus on Otis Avenue in north Salina for its first student housing, with changes not expected before the 2028-29 school year.
Programs at Salina Tech
Most career programs come as a technical certificate of about nine months, an AAS of about two years, or both, so students can stop with a credential and come back for the degree. The table lists the main programs with the per-credit tuition from the college’s 2026-27 estimate. The college’s cost sheet and its program pages give different whole-program totals, so we do not repeat them.
| Program | Credentials | Prepares for / approval | 2026-27 tuition per credit (plus $40 fee) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing | Technical Certificate C, 32 credits | NCLEX-PN; Kansas State Board of Nursing approval | $315 |
| Associate Degree Nursing (LPN-to-RN) | AAS, 24 nursing credits | NCLEX-RN; ACEN initial accreditation | $340 |
| Dental Hygiene | AAS, 80 credits | National and local examinations; CODA | $350 |
| Dental Assistant | Technical Certificate B, 37 credits; AAS, 62 | DANB (Certified Dental Assistant); CODA | $195 |
| Commercial Truck Driving | Certificate of Completion, Class A 12 credits or Class B 9 | State CDL skills test (given on site) | $205 |
| Automotive Technology | Technical Certificate C, 53 credits; AAS, 68 | NATEF/ASE-accredited program | $195 |
| Auto Collision and Refinishing | Technical Certificate B, 40 credits; AAS, 60 | NATEF/ASE-accredited program | Ask the college |
| Diesel Technology | AAS, 68 credits; Technical Certificate C | NATEF areas, OSHA-10 | Ask the college |
| HVAC | Technical Certificate B, 39 credits; AAS, 60 | EPA 608 Universal, NATE, OSHA-10 | $195 |
| Electrical Technology | Technical Certificates B (36) and C (58); AAS, 67 | Journeyman’s exam preparation | $160 |
| Welding Technology | Technical Certificates A (22) and B (37); AAS, 60 | AWS SMAW 1G, 2G and 3G weld tests | $160 |
| Construction Technology | Technical Certificate B, 36 credits; AAS, 60 | NCCER certifications, OSHA-10 | $160 |
| Machining and Manufacturing | Technical Certificate B, 37 credits; AAS, 60 | OSHA-10 | $160 |
| Industrial Maintenance and Automation | Technical Certificate C, 53 credits; AAS, 65 | – | $160 |
| Computer Aided Drafting | Technical Certificate B, 36 credits; AAS, 60 | – | $160 |
| Business Administrative Technology | Technical Certificate B, 36 credits; AAS, 60 | Microsoft Office Specialist, KS Work Ready | $160 |
| Early Childhood Education | Technical Certificates A (17 or 19) and B (33); AAS, 62 | – | $160 |
| Fire Science Technology | Technical Certificate B, about 37 credits (part-time) | IFSAC Firefighter I and II, Hazmat Awareness | $160 |
| Police Science | Technical Certificate C, 45 credits; AAS, 60 | – | $160 |
Several programs carry outside accreditation or approval, as the college’s accreditation page and catalog list it: the Kansas State Board of Nursing for both nursing programs and ACEN for the associate degree, CODA for dental assisting and dental hygiene, and NATEF/ASE for automotive and collision; the diesel program page also calls itself an ASE-certified NATEF program. Most programs add OSHA-10 and KS Work Ready certifications.
Short health courses are listed under the heading “Allied Health”: Certified Nurse Aide (eight weeks, afternoons and evenings), Certified Medication Aide, Home Health Aide, EMT and a single Medical Billing and Coding course that prepares for the CPC exam. A Pharmacy Technician certificate is also listed, but its program page shows the cost as “TBD”, so ask whether it is running in 2026-27. There is no paramedic or direct-entry RN program.
What the main programs cover
Practical Nursing
The college sums up the program as nursing in nine months, but the Technical Certificate C runs over three semesters once prerequisites are counted, 32 credits in all, with day and part-time tracks. Applicants take the TEAS entrance test, and applications are due by 1 March. The program is approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing, and graduates sit the NCLEX-PN to become licensed practical nurses. The college states plainly that licensure is not guaranteed. Graduates can go on to the college’s LPN-to-RN degree.
Associate Degree Nursing (LPN-to-RN)
This is a bridge for practical nurses, not a direct-entry RN program. Students must finish prerequisite coursework and take the PN Predictor RN entrance exam before acceptance, then complete 24 nursing credits in nine months of full-time study for an AAS. The program page also lists it as two years, counting the practical nursing year. The Kansas Board of Regents approved it in August 2022 to start by fall 2023; it is approved by the Kansas State Board of Nursing and leads to the NCLEX-RN.
Dental Assistant
Students choose between a 37-credit Technical Certificate B, about nine months long, and a 62-credit AAS over two years. Both are accredited by CODA. Training includes more than 300 hours of clinical experience in dental facilities, and students earn CPR certification. Graduates take the Dental Assisting National Board exam toward the Certified Dental Assistant credential. The college also teaches dental hygiene, an 80-credit AAS that uses an on-campus dental clinic and extramural rotations.
Commercial Truck Driving
Class A takes eight weeks and Class B six, with more than 200 hours of instruction: three weeks of theory, then five weeks (Class A) or three weeks (Class B) of driving. Classes run Monday to Thursday from 7:30 to 4:30 and Friday from 7:30 to noon, with some night driving. Salina Tech is a registered entry-level driver training provider and gives the state skills test on site, but says a CDL is not guaranteed. HazMat, passenger and school bus endorsement courses are online.
Construction Technology
The program follows the NCCER curriculum, so students earn NCCER certifications as they go, plus OSHA-10. Coursework covers structural and steel framing, concrete, interior and exterior finishing, carpentry, plumbing, estimating and heavy equipment. Students build projects with local contractors rather than only in the shop. The 36-credit Technical Certificate B can be extended to a 60-credit AAS. Students who want to concentrate on wiring or heating and cooling can take Electrical Technology or HVAC instead.
Fire Science Technology
This is a part-time technical certificate spread over two years, with classroom, lab and clinical work. Students test for IFSAC Firefighter I, Firefighter II and Hazmat Awareness at the KU Fire & Rescue Training Center and take an EMT course that prepares for Kansas certification and the NREMT exam. Salina Tech does not award a fire science degree, but 27 credits transfer into Hutchinson Community College’s Fire Science AAS for students who want one.
Tuition and how students pay
Salina Tech charges the same tuition to Kansas residents and out-of-state students; the rate depends on the program instead. These are the per-credit rates in the college’s 2026-27 tuition and fees estimate, which also adds program fees that can include books, uniforms and tools. The estimate and the program pages disagree on program totals, so confirm the cost of your program with the college before you enroll.
| 2026-27 tuition per credit hour | Rate |
|---|---|
| Standard technical courses | $160 |
| Automotive, dental assistant, HVAC and medical courses | $195 |
| Commercial Truck Driving | $205 |
| Practical Nursing | $315 |
| Associate Degree Nursing | $340 |
| Dental Hygiene | $350 |
| General education | $105 |
| Institutional fee, added to every postsecondary credit | $40 |
A standard technical credit therefore costs $200 with the fee, and a practical nursing credit $355. High-school juniors and seniors with a 2.0 GPA can take technical courses free through Kansas’s Excel in CTE program. Payment plans are available for students taking four or more credit hours.
The college takes federal student aid, including Pell Grants and Direct Loans. In 2023-24, 43% of full-time first-time students received Pell Grants, and the average net price for full-time first-time students receiving grants was $6,482, according to federal data. The college lists scholarships on its website. Ask financial aid whether a short program such as truck driving or nurse aide qualifies for federal aid before you count on it.
Open admission, with separate entry for nursing and dental programs
Salina Tech admits applicants openly; students apply online. Nursing and dental programs are the exception, with prerequisites and competitive entry: Practical Nursing needs prerequisites and the TEAS with a 1 March deadline, the nursing degree needs prerequisites and the PN Predictor exam, and Dental Hygiene has its own admission packet for 2026-27.
Most technical programs are full-time daytime programs. The exceptions are Certified Nurse Aide (afternoons and evenings), truck driving (Monday to Friday, with some night driving), Fire Science (part-time over two years) and the part-time Practical Nursing track.
Accreditation and results
Salina Tech has been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission since November 2016, with no sanctions or monitoring listed as of October 2026. HLC last reaffirmed its accreditation after a 2021 evaluation, and the next comprehensive evaluation is scheduled for 22 February 2027.
The associate degree nursing program received ACEN initial accreditation, valid through fall 2030 with no findings, as the Salina Post reported in May 2026. The Kansas State Board of Nursing approves both nursing programs, and CODA accredits Dental Assistant and Dental Hygiene.
| Measure | Result | Period and source |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Nursing, first-time NCLEX-PN pass rate | 95.83% (Kansas 2025 average 92.79%); 2023-2025 average 94.56% | 2025, Kansas State Board of Nursing |
| Associate Degree Nursing, first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate | 90.91% (Kansas 2025 average 89.19%); 2023-2025 average 92.68% | 2025, Kansas State Board of Nursing |
| Associate Degree Nursing, completion rate | 84.62% | 2025, according to the college |
| Associate Degree Nursing, job placement | 100% | 2025, according to the college |
| Graduation rate | 68% within 150% of normal time | Full-time, first-time students entering fall 2021, College Navigator |
| Retention | 73% of full-time and 58% of part-time students returned | Fall 2023 to fall 2024, College Navigator |
The nursing degree’s own page lists different NCLEX-RN figures for 2023 and 2025; we use the state board’s. The completion and placement rates are the college’s, published without definitions or cohort sizes. The federal graduation rate covers only full-time students starting for the first time, a small share of a mostly part-time student body. The Dental Hygiene and Dental Assistant program pages publish no pass, completion or placement rates, and the college’s consumer information page gives no placement or completion figures.
Before you enroll
- The RN program is a bridge. You need to come through practical nursing and the prerequisites first; there is no direct-entry RN route here.
- Tuition depends on the program: $160 a credit for standard technical courses, but $315 to $350 for nursing and dental hygiene, plus $40 a credit in fees. The college’s cost sheet and program pages give different totals, so get your program’s figure in writing.
- There is no college housing. Students find apartments or use the housing list, and the planned housing campus in north Salina is not expected before 2028-29.
- Fire Science is a part-time certificate. A fire science degree means transferring to Hutchinson Community College.
- Electrical Technology prepares students for the journeyman’s exam but does not award a licence, and the college says neither a CDL nor a nursing licence is guaranteed.
One campus on Centennial Road
Every program is taught at 2562 Centennial Road in Salina, across Buildings A, B, C and E, including the dental clinic. The college also teaches high-school students at two Kansas high schools for dual credit; those sites are not campuses. The Otis Avenue site in north Salina is planned but not yet a campus.
Clinicals, contractor projects and job help
Work experience is built into several programs: nursing clinicals, more than 300 clinical hours for dental assistants, the on-campus dental hygiene clinic, and construction projects with local contractors. The college runs a student job board and offers micro-internships through Parker Dewey.
What students say
On Niche, Salina Area Technical College is rated 3.94 out of 5 from 34 reviews, with an overall grade of B+ (checked 12 October 2026). Reviewers praise knowledgeable instructors who are invested in their students, and a dental assistant reviewer praises hands-on, career-focused training in small classes. The most common complaints are a thin student life, with few clubs or activities beyond student government, and difficulty reaching enrollment staff. Thirty-four reviews is a small sample for a college of about 1,000 students, the reviews cover the whole college rather than one program, and we could not tell whether they were invited by the school.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Nursing and Health
- Practical Nursing (LPN)
- Associate Degree Nursing (LPN-to-RN)
- Certified Nurse Aide (CNA)
- Certified Medication Aide (CMA)
- Home Health Aide
- Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
- Medical Billing and Coding (course)
Dental
- Dental Assistant
- Dental Hygiene
Transportation
- Automotive Technology
- Auto Collision and Refinishing Technology
- Diesel Technology
- Commercial Truck Driving (CDL)
Construction, Energy and Manufacturing
- Construction Technology
- Electrical Technology
- Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Welding Technology
- Machining and Manufacturing Technology
- Industrial Maintenance and Automation Technology
- Computer Aided Drafting
Business and Education
- Business Administrative Technology
- Early Childhood Education
- Applied Technologies (AAS)
Public Safety
- Fire Science Technology
- Police Science
Campus Locations
Salina, KS 2562 Centennial Road, Salina, KS 67401