Public Associate Strong 75/100

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

See admissions data, costs, student outcomes, and academic programs, all verified from official US government sources.

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Lancaster, Pennsylvania

About Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

Thinking about Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, a college in Pennsylvania where more students graduate in Mechanics & Repair than anything else? The four things worth knowing are what it actually costs after aid, whether you would get in, whether students finish, and what they earn after they do.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a public institution offering associate degrees based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It enrolls 1,446 students (a small, tight-knit student body), according to IPEDS 2023-24 data. Every figure on this page is reported by the federal government, not supplied by the college, so it can be compared like for like against anywhere else you are looking.

Acceptance
71.2%
Graduation
55.1%
Net Price
$14,104
Median Earnings (10yr)
$54,681
Enrollment
1,446
Student : Faculty
16:1

Accreditor Middle States Commission on Higher Education
Academic Calendar Semester

How It Measures Up

These four scores answer one question: compared with similar colleges, is this one worth the money? Each runs 0 to 100 and is judged only against its peer group (2-Year), so a community college is never marked down for not being Harvard. Everything is computed from federal data. Nobody can pay to move a score, and a pillar with missing data is left unscored rather than guessed.

Strong
75/100
UCD Score · 2-Year
Outcomes 81
Value 53
Affordability 49
Selectivity —

Admissions & Acceptance Rate

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology admits 71.2% of applicants, which makes it moderately selective, and realistic if you meet the academic profile.

Acceptance Rate
71.2%
Moderate
SAT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
ACT Range (25th–75th)
—
Not reported
Test Policy Not Considered Standardized test scores are not used in admissions decisions.

5-Year Admission Trend

Acceptance rate over the last five admission cycles. The trend tells you whether Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is getting harder, easier, or staying about the same.

Getting more selective ↓ 35.8 pts since 2019
88.7%201986.3%202088.8%202191.1%202252.9%2023

Cost & Financial Aid

Ignore the sticker price. What matters is the net price, which is what a typical family pays here after grants and scholarships come off. At $14,104 a year on average, it sits below what public colleges charge nationally. That still leaves most families a gap to cover, but a manageable one. Figures are College Scorecard 2023-24.

The average hides a wide spread by household income, so it is worth estimating what a family at your income would actually pay before treating this as the price.

Average Net Price
$14,104
Per year, after typical aid
Receive Pell Grants
43%
Need-based federal aid
Receive Federal Loans
56%
Borrowing to attend

Full Cost Breakdown

Published cost of attendance, the sticker price before grants and scholarships. Most students underestimate room & board and other expenses.

Tuition & Fees
$9,050
Room & Board (on-campus)
$10,670
Room & Board (off-campus)
$11,670
Books & Supplies
$2,000
Other Expenses (on-campus)
$1,656
Other Expenses (off-campus)
$2,256
Total Cost of Attendance
$18,694

Application fee: $45 (one-time, due at submission)


Net Price by Family Income

Aid is need-based, so net price varies by family income. Here's what each bracket typically pays after grants and scholarships.

  • Under $30,000
    $10,981
  • $30,001 – $48,000
    $11,230
  • $48,001 – $75,000
    $13,176
  • $75,001 – $110,000
    $16,504
  • Over $110,000
    $18,359

Debt at Graduation

Cumulative federal-loan debt across the full borrowing distribution. The 10th and 90th percentiles bracket the typical range; the median sits in the middle.

$1,484
10% percentile
$3,046
25% percentile
$9,990
Median percentile
$12,000
75% percentile
$13,364
90% percentile

Median Debt by Student Type

Median federal-loan debt at graduation broken down by demographic. Each slice's size is proportional to the dollar amount that group typically borrows.

GroupDebtvs Median
Pell recipients $5,500 ↓ $4,490
No Pell $11,764 ↑ $1,774
Dependent students $6,598 ↓ $3,392
Independent students $6,699 ↓ $3,291
Female students $6,499 ↓ $3,491
Male students $6,680 ↓ $3,310
Pell recipients: 12.6% (1,256 students)No Pell: 26.9% (2,687 students)Dependent students: 15.1% (1,507 students)Independent students: 15.3% (1,530 students)Female students: 14.9% (1,484 students)Male students: 15.3% (1,526 students)Overall Median$9,990
Worth knowing: Students who don't finish leave with a median debt of $4,422, less than completers ($9,990), but still a meaningful obligation without a degree in hand.

Graduation Rate & Retention

55% of students who start here finish within six years, and 77% come back after first year. Roughly half finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

Completion and earnings carry the most weight in this college's score, and how the UCD Score weighs each measure sets out exactly how they are combined.

6-Year Graduation Rate
55%
Of students who graduate within six years
First-Year Retention
77%
Returning for their second year

After Graduation: Earnings & Outcomes

Ten years after starting here, the median student earns $54,681 a year, close to the national median. Typical for most colleges, so what you study will matter more than where. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.

Median Earnings (10 yrs)
$54,681
Earning > $25K
79%
10 yrs after entry

Earnings Growth After Graduation

Median annual earnings 6, 8, and 10 years after students first enrolled.

$48,000$50,000$52,000$54,000$56,0006 yrs8 yrs10 yrs

Earnings by Demographic

Mean annual earnings 10 years after entry, segmented by demographic. Reveals gaps the headline median can't show.

By Family Income at Entry

Family income (lowest third)
$39,600

Earnings of grads from the bottom-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (middle third)
$50,400

Earnings of grads from the middle-third of family incomes at entry.

Family income (highest third)
$48,600

Earnings of grads from the top-third of family incomes at entry.

Loan Repayment Progression

Share of completer-cohort borrowers paying down at least $1 of principal at the 1-, 3-, 5-, and 7-year mark. Climbing rates show graduates settling into careers and managing debt; flat or declining rates are a warning.

Stable ↑ 3.1 pts across 6 years
85.3%1yr83.5%3yr81.1%5yr88.4%7yr
What this signals: Excellent. 88% of graduates were paying down at least $1 of principal seven years out.

Who Studies Here

Who you would actually be sitting next to: 1,446 students, a small, close-knit community. Worth knowing: 45% are the first in their family to go to college.

Total Enrolled
1,446
Part-Time
2%
First-Generation
45%

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown

Undergraduate student body composition reported to the US Department of Education.

GroupShareStudents
White 64.3% 930
Hispanic 16.0% 232
Black 12.6% 182
Other 5.3% 76
Asian 1.3% 19
International 0.1% 2
White: 64.3% (930 students)Hispanic: 16.0% (232 students)Black: 12.6% (182 students)Other: 5.3% (76 students)Asian: 1.3% (19 students)International: 0.1% (2 students)Total1,446

Student Life & Campus Culture

Where students live, learn, and connect at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. The campus setting, housing profile, and signals that shape day-to-day life here.

Setting
Small City Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Housing
Mostly residential 728 beds on campus
Adult Learners
6% of students are 25 or older
Athletics
NCAA athletic-conference member
Academic Calendar
Semester scheduling structure

What You Can Study

After that comes the national picture for Precision Production graduates, which shows what the field pays across every college rather than just this one.

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology offers a varied set of programs: 20 distinct programs across 9 majors. Below are its strongest majors, each with flagship programs and typical earnings. Open a major to explore it in depth, or browse the full program catalog.

Faculty & Resources

There are 16 students for every instructor here: about average, so expect a mix of small seminars and big lectures.

Student : Faculty
16:1
Students per instructional faculty member
Instruction / Student
$8,148
Annual instructional spending per enrolled student
Endowment
$1.3M
Modest endowment
Avg Faculty Salary
$87,696
9-month equivalent across all ranks

Faculty by Rank

84 instructional faculty across 4 ranks. The rank mix shows how many senior faculty are teaching versus contingent or junior staff, with average salary equated to a 9-month contract.

Rank Faculty Count Share Avg Salary
Full Professors 9 11% $95,609
Associate Professors 8 10% $90,931
Assistant Professors 13 15% $89,806
Instructors 54 64% $85,390

Pros & Cons of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

No college is right for everyone. Here is where Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is likely to suit you and where it may not, based on the same figures shown above.

Read against a single profile these cut both ways, which is why it helps to put two colleges side by side on the same measures rather than judging one in isolation.

PROS
  • Below-average net price
  • Accessible admissions for most applicants
  • Reasonable class sizes
  • Tight-knit, close community feel
  • Solid post-graduation earnings
  • Wide reach of need-based federal aid
CONS
  • Fewer clubs, activities, and social options
  • Modest first-year retention
Best for: Based on the data, Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a fit for students who want a clear path to start college without a competitive admissions barrier; students who thrive in small, close-knit environments.

Frequently Asked Questions about Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

The questions families ask most about Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, answered straight from the federal data rather than from the college's own marketing.

Is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology hard to get into?
Admissions at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology are moderately competitive. The acceptance rate is 71.2%, so most applicants who meet the academic minimums are admitted.
What is the acceptance rate at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology?
71.2% of applicants are admitted. Most applicants who meet the basic requirements are admitted. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
How much does Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology cost?
Budget around $14,104 a year. That is the net price, what families typically pay once grants and scholarships come off, not the sticker price. Your own figure depends on household income, so treat this as a midpoint rather than a quote. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology worth it?
On the numbers, yes: solid return on investment. Ten years in, the median graduate earns $54,681 a year against a net price of $14,104, about 3.9 dollars of earnings for every dollar of annual cost. That ratio ignores whether you finish and what you study, which matter just as much. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
What is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology known for?
Mostly Precision Metal Working, Heating, Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians. Those are the fields where it awards the most degrees, which is a better guide to where the teaching strength sits than any reputation ranking. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What do Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology graduates earn?
About $54,681 a year, measured ten years after students first enrolled. Half earn more and half earn less, and what you study moves that figure far more than where you study. Source: College Scorecard 2023-24.
Is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology accredited?
Yes. Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
How many students attend Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology?
1,446 students. Small enough that you will recognize faces across campus, and small enough that course choice can be limited. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
What is the graduation rate at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology?
55% finish within six years. That leaves a meaningful share who do not finish on that timeline, so budget for the possibility of a longer run. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.
Is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology a public or private college?
It is Public. Public, so in-state students usually pay materially less than everyone else.
Where is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology located?
Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
What programs does Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology offer?
20 different programs, most commonly Precision Metal Working, Heating, Electrical/Electronics Maintenance and Repair Technologies/Technicians. If the subject you want is not among them, check the full list before applying rather than assuming it is offered.
What is the student-to-faculty ratio at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology?
16 students per instructor. About average, so a mix of seminars and larger lectures. Source: IPEDS 2023-24.

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