Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology

Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology is a public two-year technical college in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1905 as Stevens Trade School through a bequest from Thaddeus Stevens, the Pennsylvania statesman, and today operates five campus locations in and around Lancaster. The college enrolled about 1,470 students in fall 2024 and offers 24 associate degree programs along with five nine-month certificate programs in fields including HVAC-R, welding, electrical technology, plumbing, carpentry, automotive technology, and computer and network systems administration. Admission is primarily limited to Pennsylvania residents, with exceptions for veterans and active-duty military; applicants need a high school diploma or GED and pay a $45 application fee. Full-time tuition is $4,725 per semester for the 2026-27 year, and on-campus housing and meal plans are available. The college has been accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education since 1991. Federal data show a 71 percent graduation rate for the fall 2021 cohort and a 15-to-1 student-faculty ratio, and the college reports a 97 percent placement rate for graduates, with 91 percent employed and 6 percent continuing their education. Its stated mission emphasizes educating economically and socially disadvantaged Pennsylvanians, as well as other qualified students, for skilled employment.