Private Career Schools in Massachusetts

Career colleges are postsecondary institutions that provide professional and technical, career-specific educational programs.

Private career schools and colleges in Massachusetts contribute to the training of employees with the skills to meet employer demands. Private career schools produce employees with market specific skills in high demand fields including allied health care, business administration, computer technology, cosmetology, culinary, dental, electronics, legal administration, massage therapy, medical billing & coding, pharmacy, photography and many more.

Many private career schools in the Commonwealth belong to the Massachusetts Association of Private Career Schools (MAPCS). These member schools offer educational programs in hundreds of occupational fields and in the fastest growing occupational categories.

Our schools work with local employers to meet market needs and to ensure that they are offering programs in the most sought after careers. The Commonwealth's career schools produce a skilled workforce that make a positive contribution to the state's economy. Moreover, a career school education can lead to gainful employment and a rewarding career.

The training at private career schools is generally completed in a short period of time, is affordable and leads to rewarding careers.

During this economic downturn the opportunities available for students in private career schools is particularly critical. For many of our students the private career school offers a valuable alternative to the financial burden imposed by two and four-year colleges. Moreover, private career schools have excellent retention and completion rates and offer students access to education and training not always available at traditional colleges.

In Massachusetts there are approximately 300 private career school offering training at any given time to some 80,000 students. Based on a MAPCS in-house survey 81% of the students complete training and 76% are placed in a training related job after graduation. The average length of a private career school program is 9 months and the average cost is $11,224.

Why enroll in a career college?

The focus of employers today is on skills. Eight of the 20 fastest growing occupational categories between 2006 and 2016 require less than a four-year degree. The government forecasts that four of the fastest growing occupations require an associate's or two-year degree, another five a four-year degree, including the top of the list occupation in network systems and communications, and three post-graduate degrees. In the period 2006-2016, a 16.7 percent increase in the number of professional and related occupations is projected accounting for 5 million jobs, most in three occupational groups – computer and mathematical occupations, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations.

Career colleges focus on the needs of both students and employers. Many offer online courses of study, flexible course schedules and accelerated completions to meet the needs of working adults juggling study, full time employment and personal commitments. Many career colleges also have business advisory councils that help shape curricula and develop programs to meet growing and shifting workforce demands.

What is the mission of career colleges?

The 21st Century workforce demands highly skilled workers, and career colleges are well positioned to educate Americans for information age jobs. Jobs in information technology, accounting, finance and engineering are regularly being outsourced overseas because there are not enough skilled workers to meet U.S. demand. Seventy-seven million baby boomers are beginning to retire, and the U.S. health care infrastructure is badly understaffed to meet a tidal wave of seniors requiring acute, post-acute, chronic and rehabilitative care.

Career colleges are a key piece of the education and skill development puzzle. They adapt to market needs more quickly than traditional institutions and maintain much higher graduation rates than community colleges. While traditional colleges and universities often help students gain broad background in the liberal arts, "find themselves" in personal terms, explore intellectual interests or perform research, career colleges serve individuals who are committed to a specific occupational goal and seek the most direct route to reaching it.

Who attends career colleges?

Career college students are predominantly working adults looking to achieve the American dream by obtaining an education directly related to their career goals. Forty-three percent are minorities and almost 50% are the first generation in their families to pursue higher education. Over 50% of dependent career college students come from families with an income of less than $40,000. More than 75% of the students are employed while they are enrolled in career colleges.

How do career college graduation rates compare to traditional schools?

According to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, 62% of career college students who attended 2-year and less-than-2-year institutions graduate within six years of enrolling. At community colleges, over the same time span, 38% of the students graduate and 46% drop out.

How do career college tuition costs compare to traditional schools?

Every college is different, of course, and tuition will vary depending on such factors as degree focus area, local economic conditions, student demand and the like. As a general rule, career colleges are more expensive than community colleges and public four-year institutions and less expensive than private non-profit colleges and universities.

Editorial provided by Catherine Flaherty, Executive Director MAPCS (Massachusetts Association of Private Career Schools).