California Institute Of Arts And Technology

What California Institute Of Arts And Technology does

California Institute of Applied Technology (CIAT), doing business as CIAT and previously known as California Institute of Arts & Technology, is a privately-held, for-profit online technical college founded in 2008 and headquartered in National City, California (San Diego area), with a regional New Mexico Institution in Albuquerque. The institution is accredited by ACCET and operates with BPPE oversight in California and SARA-based multi-state authorization, delivering 100% of its programs asynchronously online through a Canvas-based learning management system supplemented by shipped hands-on lab kits (Build-Your-Own-Computer) and optional live virtual instruction.

CIAT's core product is a stackable credential pathway spanning one-week certification bootcamps, 3-11 month certificate programs, sub-2-year associate degrees, and sub-4-year applied bachelor's degrees, with every credential level embedding industry-recognized certifications from partner bodies including CompTIA, ISC2, Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, Google, EC-Council, AAPC, and PMI. Its differentiating service model is the Unlimited Certification Exam Attempts Policy, which bundles exam fees, retake insurance, complimentary test-prep software, and live tutoring into tuition, alongside small class sizes (conservative 21:1 average; 9:1 in lower-enrollment course groups) and career services delivered through Handshake and SkillsFirst.

The business model is tuition-driven B2C with distributed individual enrollment. Revenue is generated through tuition/degree fees, certification bootcamp fees, and financing instruments (in-house payment plans, employer tuition benefits, GI Bill, and scholarships totaling over $5M awarded). Go-to-market is sales-led via inside-sales admissions advisors, an online application funnel, organic content/Trustpilot reviews, and co-marketing with certification partners. The customer base is fragmented across five personas: aspiring IT professionals/career changers (primary), working IT professionals upskilling, military students/veterans using GI Bill, college transfers, and first-time college students. Reported student-survey base expanded from 1,985 (January 2025) to 2,713 (March 2026), with student satisfaction consistently above 90% (4.5/5) and a self-reported 77% career placement rate. Hiring relationships are claimed with Amazon, Boeing, Deloitte, Northrop Grumman, Booz Allen Hamilton, L3Harris, General Dynamics, Leidos, Caltrans, LAWA, NIWC, CDW, Teradata, TEKsystems, Best Buy, and Southwest Airlines.

Name

California Institute Of Arts And Technology

Legal name

California Institute of Applied Technology

Website

https://ciat.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CIAT is a private, for-profit online technical college founded in 2008 and headquartered in National City, California, delivering stackable bootcamp-to-bachelor's IT programs with embedded industry certifications from CompTIA, Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, ISC2, and others to career changers, working adults, and military students nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Technical Education / IT Workforce Training

NAICS

Computer Training (61142), Computer Training (611420), Professional and Management Development Training (611430), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Systems Administration & Infrastructure (Windows/Linux) (EDAOAIAE), Vendor/Authorized Certification Training (Microsoft/AWS/Cisco, etc.) (BPAEANAA), Information Technology & Cybersecurity Certification Prep (CompTIA, Cisco, Microsoft, AWS, ISC2/ISACA) (EDANAIAF)

Keywords

• Online IT education
• Certification bootcamps
• Technical college degrees
• Cybersecurity training
• Career services

Headquarters

HQ city

Loomis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Degree Program Fees: CIAT generates revenue primarily through tuition charges for its degree and certificate programs. Tuition varies by program selection, credits transferred, and potential scholarships applied. Financial aid (federal grants & loans, state grants) is available for qualifying students.
2. Certification Bootcamp Fees: Intensive one-week bootcamp programs provide certification preparation with exam fees included in tuition. One-on-one tutoring, live workshops, and practice exams are bundled into the bootcamp fee.
3. Financing and Payment Plans: CIAT offers in-house payment plans, employer tuition benefit programs, and scholarship disbursements totaling over $5M awarded, as alternative revenue arrangements.
4. CompTIA SecAI+ Bootcamp: Five-day live virtual intensive program focused on AI-driven cybersecurity defense skills, with unlimited certification exam attempts for participants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

California Institute of Applied Technology (CIAT) is a for-profit online technical college that delivers IT-focused education through a stackable credential model: one-week certification bootcamps (CompTIA, ISC2, Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, AAPC, PMI, EC-Council), 3–11 month certificates, Associate of Applied Science degrees, and Applied Bachelor's degrees in Computer Information Systems. Programs are delivered 100% online with hands-on lab kits and include an unlimited certification exam retake policy bundled into tuition.

Product overview

California Institute of Applied Technology (CIAT) is an online IT technical college offering a comprehensive portfolio of technology-focused education programs. The institution operates 20+ accredited programs delivered 100% online, organized in a stackable pathway model: Bootcamps (1-2 weeks) leading to Certificates (3-11 months), then Associate degrees (under 2 years), and Bachelor's degrees (under 4 years). The core product offerings include certification bootcamps from industry partners including CompTIA (SecAI+, Security+, A+, Network+, CySA+, Data+, PenTest+), ISC2 (CISSP), Microsoft (Azure), AWS, Cisco (CCNA), AAPC (CPC), PMI (PMP), and EC-Council. Degree programs include Applied Bachelor's in Computer Information Systems with specializations in Cybersecurity, Cloud, Data Analytics, Mobile App Development, and Web Development, as well as Associate degrees in Computer Information Systems and Software Development. All programs include integrated industry certification support with unlimited exam attempts and career services for job placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CompTIA SecAI+ Bootcamp An intensive five-day live virtual bootcamp focused on AI-driven cybersecurity defense skills. Targets experienced cybersecurity professionals with 3-4 years of IT experience and validates skills at the intersection of AI and cybersecurity.
• CISSP Bootcamp Certified Information Systems Security Professional certification bootcamp delivered in partnership with ISC2 for experienced security practitioners and managers.
• CompTIA Security+ Bootcamp Entry-level cybersecurity certification bootcamp covering foundational security concepts, threats, and vulnerabilities.
• Microsoft Azure Bootcamp Microsoft Azure certification bootcamp covering cloud administration and infrastructure services for Azure Fundamentals and Azure Administrator credentials.
• AWS Bootcamp Amazon Web Services certification bootcamp preparing students for AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner and AWS Certified Solutions Architect roles.
• AAPC CPC Bootcamp Certified Professional Coder certification bootcamp in healthcare administration, supporting the medical coding career pathway through AAPC.
• CompTIA A+ Bootcamp Entry-level IT certification bootcamp covering computer hardware, software, networking, and troubleshooting.
• CompTIA Network+ Bootcamp Networking certification bootcamp covering network infrastructure, troubleshooting, and configuration.
• PMP Bootcamp Project Management Professional certification bootcamp delivered with PMI for experienced project managers.
• CompTIA CySA+ Bootcamp Cybersecurity Analyst certification bootcamp focusing on behavioral analytics, threat detection, and response.
• CompTIA Data+ Bootcamp Data analytics certification bootcamp covering data visualization, statistical analysis, and data mining.
• Cisco CCNA Bootcamp Cisco Certified Network Associate certification bootcamp covering networking fundamentals, routing, switching, and connectivity.
• CompTIA PenTest+ Bootcamp Penetration testing certification bootcamp covering ethical hacking, vulnerability assessment, and penetration testing methodologies.
• Certificate Programs Stackable certificate programs spanning 3–11 months in areas including Computer Information Systems, Software Development, Cloud Administration, and Networking (CCNA/CNT), with each credential building credit toward higher degrees.
• Associate Degree Programs Associate of Applied Science degree programs in Computer Information Systems (AASCIS) and Software Development (ASD), completed in under 2 years, with flexible financing.
• Bachelor's Degree Programs Applied Bachelor's degree programs in Computer Information Systems with specializations in Cybersecurity, Cloud, Data Analytics, Mobile Application Development, and Web Development, completed in under 4 years.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77% career placement rate for graduates (2025 reporting year)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• CompTIAcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT has an ongoing partnership with CompTIA for certification bootcamp delivery. Programs include CompTIA SecAI+, Security+, A+, Network+, CySA+, PenTest+, Data+, and ITF+. CompTIA is a leading IT certification body, and CIAT serves as an authorized delivery partner. Joint bootcamp announcements (e.g., CompTIA SecAI+ launch in 2025/2026) demonstrate active co-marketing.
• ISC2coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT partners with ISC2 to deliver the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification bootcamp. ISC2 is a global nonprofit organization specializing in cybersecurity certifications.
• MicrosoftcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT offers Microsoft Azure certification bootcamps and courses, including Azure Administrator and Azure Fundamentals. Microsoft certifications are integrated into relevant degree program curricula.
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT offers AWS certification bootcamps (AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, AWS Certified Solutions Architect) as part of its cloud computing curriculum. AWS certifications are bundled into cloud-related degree programs.
• CiscocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT delivers Cisco CCNA and CCNP certification preparation programs. Cisco networking certifications are integrated into the networking specialization track.
• GooglesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle certifications are offered within CIAT's program portfolio, integrating Google's professional technology credentials into relevant curricula.
• EC-CouncilsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT offers EC-Council's Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) certification as part of its cybersecurity curriculum.
• AAPCsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT offers the AAPC CPC (Certified Professional Coder) certification bootcamp in healthcare administration, supporting the medical coding career pathway.
• PMI (Project Management Institute)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCIAT delivers PMI's PMP (Project Management Professional) certification bootcamp as part of its project management program offerings.
• Handshake (Career Services Platform)coreTechnology or IntegrationCIAT provides students and alumni access to the Handshake career platform, connecting them with thousands of open positions from employer partners. Handshake is a widely-used student career platform.
• SkillsFirst (Career Services Platform)secondaryTechnology or IntegrationCIAT provides organizational access to SkillsFirst for career services management, supplementing the Handshake platform.
• ACCET (Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges)coreOthersCIAT is proudly accredited by ACCET, listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. This accreditation is foundational to CIAT's ability to participate in federal student financial aid programs.

Scale indicators8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ECPI University: ECPI is a for-profit career-focused university offering accelerated IT, cybersecurity, and engineering degrees with embedded certification preparation — the closest analog to CIAT's stackable bootcamp-to-degree model across multiple U.S. campuses and online.
• New Horizons Computer Learning Centers: New Horizons is a global authorized IT training provider delivering vendor-certified courses (Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, CompTIA) to corporate clients and individuals — a direct competitor to CIAT's authorized-certification bootcamps and corporate tuition-benefit channels.
• Learning Tree International: Learning Tree is an IT and business training provider offering vendor-certified courses (Microsoft, AWS, Cisco, CompTIA, PMI) to enterprise and government clients — overlapping CIAT's corporate-tuition-benefit delivery and certification-bootcamp catalog, though with greater enterprise focus.

Broad incumbents

• Western Governors University (WGU): WGU is a large-scale online, competency-based university offering IT bachelor's and master's degrees with industry certifications embedded into curricula — competing head-on with CIAT for adult learners seeking accredited IT credentials, but at significantly greater scale and brand recognition.
• DeVry University: DeVry is a long-established for-profit university with online degree programs in information technology and cybersecurity — competing with CIAT for similar career-changer and working-adult segments, but with broader program portfolio and historical brand presence.
• Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU): SNHU is a large nonprofit online university offering IT and cybersecurity degrees with prior learning assessment — comparable to CIAT on online delivery, transfer-credit policies, and working-adult targeting, though operating at significantly larger scale and as a nonprofit.
• University of Phoenix: University of Phoenix is the largest historically for-profit online university, offering IT and cybersecurity degrees to working adults — a directly comparable for-profit online model targeting career-changers with flexible schedules and employer partnerships.

Emerging players

• Per Scholas: Per Scholas is a national nonprofit providing tuition-free IT job training (CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, AWS) for adults from underserved communities — competing with CIAT for the entry-level IT certification learner, but free of charge and non-degree-bearing.
• NPower: NPower is a national nonprofit that delivers free IT workforce training and career placement, with strong ties to military-affiliated learners and employer hiring partners in tech — overlapping with CIAT's veteran/GI Bill segments and employer-driven placement model.
• Flatiron School: Flatiron School is an online and in-person bootcamp operator offering cybersecurity, software engineering, and data science programs with career services — competing with CIAT for career-changer cohorts, with greater brand awareness in software/data but narrower IT certification scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIATedu

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Institute Of Arts And Technology