Universal Technical Institute

Universal Technical Institute was founded in 1965. UTI expanded its programs with additional curricula and opened new campuses, growing internally and through acquisitions. To address the needs of corporate clients, UTI started providing continuing education and training for technicians in 1980. In 1983, UTI opened a campus in Houston, Texas. In 1988 UT opened their Lisle, Illinois, campus. In 1998, it opened a campus in Rancho Cucamonga, California.[2]

In January 1998, UTI acquired Clinton Harley Corporation and Clinton Education Group, Inc. for $26.3 million. Motorcycle Mechanics Institute and Marine Mechanics Institute (MMI) were operating divisions of Clinton Harley Corporation.[2]

In June 1998, UTI acquired National Technology Transfer, Inc. (NTT) and Performance Training Associates (PTA) NTT provided intensive training seminars to technicians in sectors similar to the sectors that they served. PTA organized lecture training seminars in markets similar to NTT. The acquisition of NTT and PTA was completed for approximately $50.2 million. The NTT business was discontinued at a loss of $42.9 million. At the time of its initial public offering, UTI carried a debt load of $57.3 million.[2]

At its peak in 2011, UTI had more than 18,000 students. Enrollment has been declining since then.[3]

The 2012 Harkin Commission noted that: "Compared to public colleges offering the same programs, the price of tuition is significantly higher at UTI....The same Certificate costs almost 20 times more at UTI than it does at the public college." UTI's default rate, however, was relatively low for a for-profit college, fluctuating from 12% to 16%.[4]

Universal Technical Institute has limited access to military bases for student recruitment because its programs have not complied with federal government oversight measures.[5]

On September 27, 2016, UTI reported that its President and CFO, Eugene Putnam, was removed as part of a financial improvement plan and that Kim McWaters replaced him as President.[6]

October 21, 2019, Kim Mcwaters resigned as CEO of Universal Technical Institute.[7]

Since December 2018, Universal Technical Institute has seen a significant drop in the number of students enrolled. [8]

• Avondale, Arizona
• Dallas, Texas
• Bloomfield, New Jersey
• Exton, Pennsylvania
• Lisle, Illinois
• Houston, Texas
• Rancho Cucamonga, California
• Mooresville, North Carolina
• Norwood, Massachusetts (Permanently Closed in July 2020 Due to Lack Of Student Enrollment)[9]
• Orlando, Florida
• Sacramento, California (Collision program discontinued at the Sacramento location in 2020 due to lack of student enrollment.) [10]
• Long Beach, California

• Official website