| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | Public two-year technical college; in-person, full-time day programs, plus one online certificate |
| Campuses | 5 sites, all in Lancaster, PA: Main Campus, Griscom Education Center, Greiner Advanced Manufacturing Center, Greenfield and the Transportation Center |
| Credentials | Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees and certificates |
| Programs | 23 associate degree programs and 5 certificates, as the college lists them |
| Typical length | Two years for a degree; nine months to one year for a certificate |
| Who can enroll | Pennsylvania residents, and military members or veterans from any state |
| Accreditation | Middle States Commission on Higher Education; accredited, on a Non-Compliance Warning since 25 June 2026. Business Administration: ACBSP (2026) |
| Federal aid | Yes (Pell, FSEOG, PA State Grant) |
| 2026-27 tuition | $4,725 per full-time semester or $323 per credit, the same for every student |
| Students | About 1,450 to 1,500, nearly all full-time |
| Founded | 1905, as Stevens Trade School |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
A public technical college for Pennsylvania students
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, often called Stevens College, is a public two-year college under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It opened in 1905 as Stevens Trade School, paid for by a bequest in the will of Thaddeus Stevens, and the Pennsylvania Department of Education has approved it to award the Associate in Applied Science since 1998.
The college teaches building, mechanical, electrical, computer and business trades at five sites in Lancaster, almost entirely in full-time daytime shop programs. Admission is limited to Pennsylvania residents and to military members and veterans. About 1,450 to 1,500 students attend. Two things set it apart: a single tuition rate, with a last-dollar grant for Pell-eligible Pennsylvania residents that covers the tuition, fees, housing and meals other aid leaves unpaid, apart from their Student Aid Index, and published job-placement and salary figures for most of its degree programs.
Programs at Thaddeus Stevens, and where they meet
The college lists 23 associate degree programs and five certificates. Each program is based at one site, so where you study depends on what you study. The figures in the last column are the college’s own three-year averages from each program page: the share of graduates working in their field or continuing their education, and the median first-year salary.
| Program | Credential | Where | In-field placement / median first-year salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical Technology | AAS, 74 credits | Main Campus (Snyder, then Woolworth) | 97% / $67,500 |
| Plumbing Technology | AAS, 73 credits | Main Campus (Woolworth) | 95% / $47,500 |
| Carpentry Technology | AAS, 73 credits | Main Campus (Leonard) | 89% / $47,500 |
| Residential Remodeling Technology | AAS, 73 credits | Main Campus (Snyder) | 97% / $47,500 |
| Computer & Network Systems Administration | AAS, 73 or 74 credits | Main Campus (Kreider) | 86% / $47,500 |
| HVAC-R | AAS, 74 credits | Greiner South | 96% / $52,500 |
| Computer Integrated Machining | AAS, 75 credits (the catalog also lists a certificate) | Greiner South | 98% / $52,500 |
| Advanced Welding Fabrication Technology | AAS | Greiner North | – |
| Welding Technology | AAS, two years; certificate, 32 credits (9 months) | Greenfield | AAS: 88% / $52,500 |
| Civil Engineering Construction, Masonry Construction | AAS (the catalog also lists a masonry certificate) | Greenfield | – |
| Automotive Technology | AAS, two years | Transportation Center | 92% / $42,500 |
| Collision Repair Technology | AAS, 73 credits | Transportation Center | 84% / $37,500 |
| Diesel Technology | AAS, 76 credits | Transportation Center | 85% / $50,000 |
| Architectural Technology | AAS, 73 credits | Griscom | 94% / $47,500 |
| Business Administration | AAS, 75 credits (ACBSP) | Griscom | 91% / $45,000 |
| Computer Software Engineering Technology | AAS, 73 credits | Griscom | 64% / $55,000 |
| Graphic Communications & Printing Technology | AAS, 72 credits | Griscom | 87% / $37,500 |
| Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship | Certificate, 36 credits (2 semesters) | Online, full- or part-time | New in 2026 |
Engineering CAD Technology still appears in the 2026-27 catalog, but the college says it is not currently accepting applications. Electro-Mechanical Technology, Electronic Engineering Technology, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Cabinetmaking & Wood Technology and Water & Environmental Technology are also offered. Short non-credit courses of six months or less run through the college’s Workforce & Economic Development Center.
There is no nursing, health or truck-driving program, and no program publishes licensure pass rates. Business Administration is the only program with its own accreditation.
What the main programs cover
Automotive Technology
The two-year associate degree is taught at the Transportation Center, alongside Collision Repair and Diesel. Students earn two Pennsylvania credentials during the program: the Auto Safety Inspection certificate and the Emissions tester certificate. The coursework lines up with the ASE automotive test series, but ASE certification itself requires a year of work experience, so graduates sit the tests once they are employed. The program page and the catalog give different credit totals, so confirm the current curriculum with the college.
Diesel Technology
This 76-credit degree trains medium- and heavy-truck technicians; it is not a driving or CDL program. Students learn Pennsylvania Category 3 inspection and the federal Department of Transportation safety-inspection procedures used on commercial vehicles. Like the automotive program, it prepares students for an ASE test series, here Medium/Heavy Truck, which can be taken after a year on the job. Classes are full-time and in person at the Transportation Center on Ben Franklin Boulevard.
Collision Repair Technology
The 73-credit degree builds I-CAR training into the curriculum: students complete the Non-Structural and Refinishing ProLevel 1 courses, and graduates leave with I-CAR Platinum certificates. ASE Master Technician testing is an option for students who want it. The shops are at the Transportation Center, shared with the automotive and diesel programs. The program’s median first-year salary, $37,500, is at the low end of the college’s range, so compare it with the alternatives.
Computer & Network Systems Administration
The degree has two options, of 73 and 74 credits, and is taught in the Kreider building on the Main Campus. The catalog places CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 preparation inside two courses, CNSA 107 and 108, so students work toward that entry-level IT certification early. The program sets its own entry rules: applicants need high-school Algebra I and Algebra II and a grade point average of at least 2.5. Classes are full-time and in person.
Graphic Communications & Printing Technology
This 72-credit degree, on the lobby level of the Griscom Education Center, is half design and half print production. The design side covers typography, layout and digital design; the production side covers running presses, bindery work and managing a print workflow. The college lists graduate job titles from graphic designer to desktop publisher. Students who want a pure graphic design or web design program should note how much of the time goes to printing.
Welding Technology and Advanced Welding Fabrication
Welding is split across two sites. At Greenfield, the Welding Technology certificate takes 32 credits over nine months, and the Welding Technology associate degree takes two years; the college says the degree leads to entry-level certifications, and neither program page names the American Welding Society. At Greiner North, Advanced Welding Fabrication Technology is a separate associate degree, called Metals Fabrication & Welding Technology until Fall 2025. The degree’s published credit total is inconsistent, so confirm it before you apply.
One tuition rate, and a grant that covers the rest
Every student pays the same rate; there is no separate out-of-state price, because enrollment is limited to Pennsylvania residents and military members or veterans. The 2026-27 figures below come from the college’s tuition and fees page.
| 2026-27 cost | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition, full-time (12 or more credits) | $4,725 per semester |
| Tuition, part-time and summer | $323 per credit |
| Activity fee | $25 per semester (not charged to fully online students) |
| Application fee | $45, one time |
| College housing | $3,260 (double) or $3,804 (single) per semester |
| Meal plan | $2,011 (5-day) or $2,538 (7-day) per semester |
Tuition and the activity fee come to $9,500 for a full-time year, or about $20,000 with a double room and the 5-day meal plan, before books and tools.
The Stevens Grant is the college’s own last-dollar grant for Pennsylvania residents who are Pell-eligible, file the FAFSA by 1 May and complete the PA State Grant paperwork. It pays the tuition, fees, housing and meals left after Pell, the PA State Grant, outside scholarships and VA benefits, and recipients get their books and tools each semester. Students still owe their Student Aid Index. The grant lasts up to four semesters (six for pre-major students) and requires full-time continuous enrollment and a 2.0 GPA. The 2026-27 catalog says 44% of students qualify.
Other aid, according to the college’s grants and scholarships page: federal Pell Grants, FSEOG grants of generally $3,000 a year for Pell-eligible students while funds last, the PA State Grant, more than 50 Thaddeus Stevens Foundation scholarships a year (the 2026-27 deadline was 31 May 2026), and PHEAA programs such as PATH, the Chafee Education and Training Grant and the PA National Guard Educational Assistance Program. About 90% of students receive some aid. Niche puts the average net price at $6,960 a year.
Who can apply, and when
The college accepts Pennsylvania residents and members or veterans of the armed forces, according to its admissions page. Admission is rolling: applications open in the fall, and acceptances go out from December through spring. Open houses are held in April and October, and the application fee is $45. Some programs set their own requirements, such as the math and GPA minimums for Computer & Network Systems Administration. High-school seniors at partner high schools can start through Early Enrollment.
Programs are full-time and in person during the day. The exception is the Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship certificate, which is fully online and can be taken full- or part-time, though the residency rule still applies. A one-year pre-major program is billed at the same $4,725 per semester.
Accreditation: accredited, on a warning since June 2026
The college is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, which first accredited it in 1991. On 25 June 2026 the Commission placed the college on a Non-Compliance Warning: it warned that the college’s accreditation may be in jeopardy because there was not enough evidence that it meets Standard VI, on planning, resources and institutional improvement. The college remains accredited while on warning. It must file a monitoring report by 16 February 2027, covering finances, staffing, a multi-year budget and an annual independent audit, and a follow-up team visit will follow. The college says it met the other six standards.
Business Administration has been accredited by ACBSP since 2026, as the college states on its About page.
Placement, pay and graduation rates
The college publishes institution-wide results on its performance measures page:
| Measure | Result | Cohort and definition |
|---|---|---|
| In-field placement | 91% | 2024 associate graduates employed full-time in a related field, or in full-time education, within the first year |
| Median first-year income | $52,500 | 2024 graduates placed in their field |
| Graduation | 59% | Students entering in 2023, finishing within three years (associate) or 1.5 years (certificate) |
| Retention | 75% | 2023 entering associate students returning the next fall |
| Graduates with loans | 69%; median debt $12,747 | 2024 graduates |
| Program placement range | 64% (Software Engineering) to 98% (Computer Integrated Machining) | Three-year averages on program pages |
The college also cites a 97% overall placement figure, made up of 91% employed and 6% continuing their education; it is measured differently from the 91% above, which already counts further education. Niche shows a 71% graduation rate, which is federal data with a different cohort and definition from the college’s 59%.
Before you enroll
- The college is accredited but on an MSCHE Non-Compliance Warning: it must file a monitoring report by 16 February 2027, and a follow-up team visit will follow.
- Unless you are in the military or a veteran, you must be a Pennsylvania resident to enroll, including in the online certificate.
- Placement varies a lot by program: from 64% in Computer Software Engineering Technology to 98% in Computer Integrated Machining. Check the figure for your program, not the college-wide number.
- The Stevens Grant covers four semesters at most (six for pre-major students) and requires full-time continuous enrollment and a 2.0 GPA; students who drop below full-time or a 2.0 GPA can lose it. Students who are not Pell-eligible pay the regular rate.
- Architectural Technology trains technicians, not architects, and Engineering CAD Technology is not taking applications.
Five Lancaster sites: what each teaches
| Site | Address | Programs taught there |
|---|---|---|
| Main Campus | 750 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 | Carpentry, Cabinetmaking, Residential Remodeling, Electrical, Plumbing, Computer & Network Systems Administration, Electro-Mechanical, Electronic Engineering Technology; general education |
| Griscom Education Center | 1100 E. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 | Architectural, Business Administration, Software Engineering, Graphic Communications & Printing, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Water & Environmental; Electrical Construction & Maintenance certificate |
| Greiner Advanced Manufacturing Center | 599 Chesapeake Street, Lancaster, PA 17602 | Computer Integrated Machining and HVAC-R (South); Advanced Welding Fabrication (North) |
| Greenfield | 1812 Colonial Village Lane, Lancaster, PA 17601 | Civil Engineering Construction, Masonry, Welding (degree and certificate) |
| Transportation Center | 400 Ben Franklin Blvd, Lancaster, PA 17601 | Automotive, Collision Repair, Diesel |
Each program is taught at one site, so most students spend their shop time at a single location. College housing and meal plans are available (see costs above).
What students say
On Niche, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is rated 3.87 out of 5 from 87 reviews, with an overall grade of A (checked 12 October 2026). Reviewers most often praise the hands-on shop learning, with carpentry named as a strong program, instructors with industry experience who are willing to answer questions, and a calm setting. The most common complaints are limited cafeteria choices, especially for students who don’t eat meat, and a thin social life. The reviews cover the whole college, and we could not tell whether they were invited by the school or posted in bursts.
Facts checked October 2026.
Programs & Courses
Construction and Building Trades
- Carpentry Technology
- Residential Remodeling Technology
- Cabinetmaking & Wood Technology
- Masonry Construction Technology (degree and certificate)
- Civil Engineering Construction Technology
- Plumbing Technology
- Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (HVAC-R)
- Architectural Technology
Electrical and Electronics
- Electrical Technology
- Electrical Construction & Maintenance (certificate)
- Electro-Mechanical Technology
- Electronic Engineering Technology
Machining, Welding and Manufacturing
- Computer Integrated Machining (degree and certificate)
- Advanced Welding Fabrication Technology
- Welding Technology (degree and certificate)
- Mechanical Engineering Technology
Automotive, Collision and Diesel
- Automotive Technology
- Collision Repair Technology
- Diesel Technology
Computers and IT
- Computer & Network Systems Administration
- Computer Software Engineering Technology
Business and Graphic Communications
- Business Administration
- Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship (online certificate)
- Graphic Communications & Printing Technology
Environmental
- Water & Environmental Technology
Campus Locations
Lancaster, PA 750 E. King Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
Lancaster, PA 1100 E. Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
Lancaster, PA 599 Chesapeake Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
Lancaster, PA 1812 Colonial Village Lane, Lancaster, PA 17601
Lancaster, PA 400 Ben Franklin Blvd, Lancaster, PA 17601