| Type | Campus-based trade school with blended (online + lab) courses |
|---|---|
| Campuses | 17 open, in 10 states; Salt Lake City (West Jordan, UT) scheduled for 2027 |
| Credentials | Diplomas, certificates and Associate of Occupational Studies (AOS) degrees |
| Program length | About 30 to 110 weeks; most core programs 36–51 weeks |
| Accreditation | ACCSC (institutional) |
| Federal aid | Yes (Pell Grants, Direct Loans); approved for VA education benefits at most campuses |
| Owner | Universal Technical Institute, Inc. (NYSE: UTI), Phoenix, AZ. Founded 1965 |
| Facts checked | October 2026 |
About Universal Technical Institute
Universal Technical Institute (UTI) started in Phoenix in 1965 with a class of 11 automotive students. It now trains automotive, diesel, collision repair, motorcycle, marine, aviation maintenance, welding, HVACR and industrial technicians at 17 campuses. Its courses mix online theory with lab work, and most run in three-week blocks.
Two recent changes matter if you are comparing older information. Between late 2024 and mid-2025 UTI dropped its separate school brands: Motorcycle Mechanics Institute, Marine Mechanics Institute, NASCAR Technical Institute and MIAT College of Technology now all operate under the UTI name. UTI is also adding campuses: San Antonio, its first campus for skilled trades only, opened in spring 2026, Atlanta (Smyrna, GA) followed in August 2026, and Salt Lake City is due in 2027. The same company owns Concorde Career Colleges, a separate healthcare school.
Programs and where they are taught
Not every program runs at every campus. Lengths and credentials below are from UTI’s 2025–26 catalog; total costs are the Avondale, AZ campus prices for students enrolling from 1 August 2026, including fees.
| Program | Length | Credential | Prepares for | Avondale total cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Automotive & EV Technology | 51 weeks | AOS | ASE certification tests (training counts as one of the two years of work experience ASE requires) | $46,725 |
| Diesel Technology | 45 weeks | Diploma | Entry-level diesel technician roles | $42,875 |
| Welding Technology | 36 weeks | Diploma | GMAW, SMAW, FCAW and GTAW processes; curriculum built with Lincoln Electric | $27,005 |
| HVACR Technician | 39 weeks | Diploma | EPA 608, NATE Core, OSHA 10 | $26,935 |
| Airframe & Powerplant | 78 weeks (85 at Canton) | Diploma (certificate at Canton) | FAA Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) exams | $54,095 |
| Collision Repair & Refinish | 36 weeks | Diploma | I-CAR training, EPA 609 (Long Beach and Houston only) | – |
| Motorcycle Technician | 48–60 weeks | Diploma or AOS | Brand electives (Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha, BMW Motorrad); Phoenix and Orlando | – |
| Marine Technician | 51 weeks | Diploma | Optional Mercury Marine provisional certification; Orlando only | – |
| Electrical, robotics, industrial maintenance and wind programs | 30–51 weeks | Diploma or certificate | Industrial and wind-turbine technician roles (UTI says these do not train electricians) | – |
| Advanced Non-Destructive Testing | 36 weeks | Diploma | NDT inspection roles; Houston only | – |
After a core program, students can add manufacturer-specific training. Most of it (BMW FastTrack, Ford FACT, Cummins, Daimler Truck, GM, Stellantis/Mopar, and the NASCAR program at Mooresville) adds 12–15 weeks and is paid for as part of tuition. Mercedes-Benz, Peterbilt, Porsche and Tesla programs are paid for by the manufacturer, require an application and interview, and come with a work commitment.
What the main programs cover
Course lists and clock hours below are from UTI’s current (2026–27) catalog. Most courses last three weeks.
Automotive & EV Technology
The 51-week program is 17 courses and 1,387 clock hours, 664 of them in the lab. UTI says students spend about half of each day on online theory and half in the shop. Courses move from engine design, undercar systems and electrical work through manual and automatic transmissions, brakes, steering and suspension, and automotive HVAC to driveability diagnosis. Three Power & Performance courses cover an engine build, bolt-on parts and computer tuning. The last courses deal with hybrids, service advising and battery-electric vehicles, including high-voltage safety. UTI names automotive technician, service writer and quick service technician as typical first jobs.
Diesel Technology
Diesel Technology is 15 courses over 45 weeks (1,243.5 clock hours, 583 of them in the lab). The first seven courses are shared with the automotive program: engines, undercar systems, electrical work, manual transmissions and HVAC. The rest turn to heavy equipment: hydraulics, drivetrains, brakes, steering and suspension, preventive maintenance and transport refrigeration. The diesel engine course uses mid-range International and Cummins engines and covers turbochargers, exhaust gas recirculation and aftertreatment. UTI lists diesel technician, heavy equipment repair, power generation, agriculture and mobile diesel jobs as typical starting points.
Welding Technology
Welding Technology runs 36 weeks in person (900 clock hours, 12 courses) on a curriculum developed with Lincoln Electric. After safety and welding principles, students take two courses each in gas metal arc (MIG) and shielded metal arc (stick) welding, then flux-cored and gas tungsten arc (TIG) welding, fabrication and pipe welding, and two applications courses. Labs use VRTEX virtual welders alongside plasma and oxyacetylene cutting equipment. The program prepares students for industry and American Welding Society (AWS) weld tests; it does not award AWS certifications itself.
HVACR Technician
The HVACR program is 13 courses of 75 hours each, 975 hours over 39 weeks, taught in person. It starts with basic electricity, motors and refrigeration, then covers air conditioning, heating and alternative heating systems, indoor air and duct fabrication, building codes and commercial refrigeration. Labs include standard and high-efficiency furnaces, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, rooftop package units, hot-water boilers and walk-in coolers. Students can earn EPA 608, OSHA 10-Hour and R-410A safety credentials, and UTI tests for the NATE Core exam. NATE specialty exams come later, usually through an employer.
Airframe & Powerplant
This FAA Part 147 program is 26 courses over 78 weeks, 1,950 clock hours, about 61% of them in the lab. Taught in person, it starts with general topics (math, physics, electricity, corrosion, weight and balance), moves to airframe systems such as sheet metal, composite structures, hydraulics and landing gear, then covers piston and turbine engines, including engine overhaul and work on engine-run trainers. After graduating you must be 18 and pass the FAA’s written, oral and practical exams, all within 24 months. UTI covers the examiner fees up to a cap if you test within 120 days of graduating.
Motorcycle Technician
Motorcycle training has two stages. Everyone starts with the 18-week Motorcycle Technician Prerequisite: six courses on engines and transmissions, chassis, suspension and final drive, electrical systems, maintenance, and engine and electrical troubleshooting. Students then add manufacturer training from BMW Motorrad, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki (Phoenix only) or Yamaha, so total length depends on the brands chosen. Harley-Davidson training, for example, is 48 weeks in total (1,200 clock hours, more than three-quarters of it lab work) at Orlando and Phoenix only. Graduates earn a diploma or associate degree, depending on campus, plus brand credentials.
Cost and paying for it
Tuition is set per campus. At Avondale, core programs for August 2026 starts run from about $27,000 (Welding, HVACR) to $54,095 (Airframe & Powerplant), and an automotive program combined with diesel and Ford training costs $70,375. On top of tuition, programs carry roughly $750 to $1,400 in fees (registration, lab, equipment and a laptop; $975 for Automotive at Avondale); the laptop and equipment fees can be waived if you bring your own. Books, work shirts and safety glasses are included.
UTI is eligible for federal student aid, including Pell Grants, Direct Loans and the GI Bill. It reported awarding more than $27 million in its own grants and scholarships in 2025, such as the Academic Excellence Grant (up to $3,000) and the American Dream Grant (up to $2,500).
Most campuses are approved for VA education benefits under Chapters 31, 33 (Post-9/11 GI Bill) and 35. Service members in their last months of duty can train through the Defense Department’s SkillBridge program, and eligible veterans can apply for UTI’s Salute to Service Grant.
Admissions and schedule
UTI does not use an entrance exam. You need to be at least 16 (with a parent’s signature under 18) and have a high school diploma, GED or homeschool completion. New classes start every three to twelve weeks depending on the campus and program. Many campuses run morning, afternoon and evening shifts of roughly six hours, and your class times are set in your enrollment agreement.
Accreditation and results
Every UTI campus is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC). UTI publishes graduation and employment rates for each campus using ACCSC’s method, which counts students who finish within 150% of the program length and are employed within a set period after. In the reports dated 1 July 2025, Avondale showed 78% graduation and 83% employment, and Houston showed 75% and 75%. Rates differ by campus and program, so check the report for the campus you are considering on UTI’s disclosures page.
Housing and career help
UTI has no dormitories. Each campus has a housing team that helps students who are relocating find apartments and roommates; on Niche, housing cost and quality is a recurring complaint from Avondale and Orlando students. Career services staff help students find part-time work while they train and technician jobs when they finish, drawing on UTI’s employer relationships, and eligible automotive graduates can receive a Snap-on tool-set voucher.
Before you enroll
- Costs are high for a trade school: a 51-week automotive program is close to $47,000. Compare it with community college programs near you, which are usually cheaper but may take longer.
- Manufacturer programs are not free unless they are the manufacturer-paid ones (Mercedes-Benz, Peterbilt, Porsche, Tesla), and those require an application and a work commitment.
- The electrical and robotics programs prepare industrial and maintenance technicians, not licensed electricians.
- Older listings may show closed or merged sites: Norwood, MA closed in 2020; the Deer Valley Road (Phoenix) and Delegates Drive (Orlando) sites merged into nearby campuses.
- Aviation students must be 18 to sit the FAA exams.
What students say
On Niche, UTI as a whole is rated 4.55 out of 5 from 64 reviews (checked October 2026). Campus pages carry more reviews: Avondale 4.18 (373), Houston 4.23 (220), Orlando 3.96 (142) and Canton 3.74 (77). Most reviewers are first-term students, so the reviews say more about the first months than about job outcomes.
- Praised: hands-on lab and shop time (raised in close to half the reviews), knowledgeable and supportive instructors, and a clear path to certification and work.
- Criticized: about three in ten reviews raise at least one complaint, most often equipment that is limited or broken, or more classroom and online work than expected. Others mention slow administration and financial aid, housing costs, and certification results that fell short of what admissions described.
Sources
UTI 2025–26 catalog and campus tuition charts · UTI campus list · Campus outcome disclosures · UTI FY2025 annual report (10-K) · Scholarships and grants · Niche reviews
Programs & Courses
Automotive and Collision
- Automotive & EV Technology
- Automotive/Diesel & EV Technology
- Collision Repair & Refinish
Diesel
- Diesel Technology
Motorcycle and Marine
- Motorcycle Technician
- Marine Technician Specialist
Aviation
- Airframe & Powerplant / Aviation Maintenance
Skilled Trades
- Welding Technology
- HVACR Technician
- Electrical, Robotics & Automation
- Electrical & Industrial Maintenance
- Electrical & Wind Turbine
- Advanced Non-Destructive Testing
Campus Locations
Avondale, AZ 10695 W Pierce St, Suite 100, Avondale, AZ 85323
Phoenix, AZ (motorcycle) 10695 W Pierce St, Suite 200, Avondale, AZ 85323
Long Beach, CA 4175 E Conant St, Long Beach, CA 90808
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 9494 Haven Ave, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
Sacramento, CA 4100 Duckhorn Dr, Sacramento, CA 95834
Miramar, FL 2601 SW 145th Ave, Miramar, FL 33027
Orlando, FL 2202 W Taft Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32837
Atlanta, GA 7100 Highlands Pkwy SE, Smyrna, GA 30082
Lisle, IL 2611 Corporate West Dr, Lisle, IL 60532
Canton, MI 2955 S Haggerty Rd, Canton, MI 48188
Bloomfield, NJ 1515 Broad St, Bloomfield, NJ 07003
Mooresville, NC 220 Byers Creek Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117
Exton, PA 750 Pennsylvania Dr, Exton, PA 19341
Austin, TX 301 W Howard Ln, Austin, TX 78753
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 5151 Regent Blvd, Irving, TX 75063
San Antonio, TX 5776 Stemmons Dr, San Antonio, TX 78238
Houston, TX 721 Lockhaven Dr, Houston, TX 77073