What Franklin Cummings Tech does

Franklin Cummings Tech (legally Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology) is a private, 501(c)(3) nonprofit technical college founded in 1908 and headquartered in Roxbury, Massachusetts, where it relocated to a new purpose-built campus in Nubian Square in January 2026. It also operates a Billerica campus. The institution delivers hands-on technical and trade education across certificate programs (HVAC&R Technology, Practical Electricity), associate degrees (Automotive Technology, Biotechnology, Construction Management, Cybersecurity, Engineering Technology with Mechatronics and Building Energy Management concentrations, Opticianry), and bachelor's degrees (Electrical Engineering, ABET-accredited; Business Management, available online). Educational programs are delivered through purpose-built facilities including a full-service automotive garage, biotechnology labs, construction management facilities, engineering technology labs, HVAC&R training centers, an opticianry optical shop, and cybersecurity labs. Specialized units include the Center for Energy Efficiency and the Trades (CEET), the Kraft Center for Student Success, and the Reentry Empowerment Program (REP) for justice-impacted individuals.

The college's primary customers are individual students (traditional undergraduates, adult learners, high school students in Early College programs, veterans, and justice-impacted individuals), with 93% receiving financial aid and 46% identifying as first-generation college students. The college reports an 80% job placement rate and 100% job placement for Electrical Engineering bachelor's graduates. Revenue is generated from tuition and fees, donations and grants (Cummings Foundation $12.5M, Liberty Mutual $2M, Yawkey $2.5M, Kraft Family $1.5M, Barr $1M, Google $1M, multiple NSF grants), and Workforce Development Services delivered through employer partnerships. Employer partners, including Amazon, Chipotle, McDonald's, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston Medical Center, Mass General Brigham, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Ginkgo Bioworks, Schneider Electric, National Grid, Johnson Controls, C&W Services, and DivcoWest, drive co-op enrollment, apprenticeship pipelines, and curricular input via a Business Advisory Council.

The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via an online application portal and Salesforce-based inquiry system, supplemented by event-driven recruitment (Discovery Days, career fairs, industry showcases) and channel partnerships with employer-s tuition-benefit programs (Amazon Career Choice, EdAssist Solutions). The institution is governed by a Board of Trustees, led by President & CEO Dr. Aisha Francis (first female president, installed May 2022), with approximately 150 full and part-time employees.

Name

Franklin Cummings Tech

Legal name

Benjamin Franklin Cummings Institute of Technology

Website

https://franklincummings.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Franklin Cummings Tech is a Boston-based private nonprofit technical college founded in 1908 offering certificates, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees in technical and trade fields serving traditional, adult, veteran, and justice-impacted students in the Greater Boston region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Technical and Trade Higher Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Educational Services (611), Junior Colleges (61121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG), Construction & Trades Licensure (Contractor, Electrician, Plumber, HVAC CE) (EDAAALAH), Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL), STEM, Digital Literacy & Maker Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAG)

Keywords

• Technical education
• Trade college
• Workforce development
• Vocational training
• Engineering technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Roxbury

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition for associate degrees, bachelor's degrees, certificates, and continuing education programs. As one of the most affordable private, nonprofit colleges in Massachusetts.
2. Donations and Grants: The institution is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 04-2103576) that receives donations from individuals, foundations, and corporations, as well as government grants for workforce development, education programs, and capital projects.
3. Workforce Development Services: Revenue from employer partnerships for upskilling employees, continuing education programs, and professional development courses for adult learners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Franklin Cummings Tech is a private nonprofit technical college delivering certificate programs, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees in fields such as automotive technology, biotechnology, construction management, cybersecurity, electrical engineering, HVAC&R, opticianry, and business management. Programs integrate co-op and apprenticeship workplace experience with hands-on lab training and stack toward higher credentials. The college also operates workforce development and prison education programs for adult learners and justice-impacted individuals.

Product overview

Franklin Cummings Tech is a private nonprofit technical college offering a portfolio of educational programs including certificate programs, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees across technical and trade disciplines. The institution operates as a unified college with programs that stack toward higher credentials - certificate programs (HVAC&R Technology, Practical Electricity) stack toward associate degrees, and associate degrees stack toward bachelor's degrees. Programs span automotive technology, biotechnology, construction management, cybersecurity, engineering technology (building energy management, mechatronics), opticianry, business management, and electrical engineering. The college also provides Early College programs for high school students, Continuing Education and Workforce Programs (CEWP), the Center for Energy Efficiency and the Trades (CEET) for clean energy careers, and the Reentry Empowerment Program (REP) for justice-impacted individuals. A co-op and apprenticeship model integrates workplace experience with academic study. Online programs are available for select degrees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Center for Energy Efficiency and the Trades (CEET): Programs training talent for sustainability careers including solar and wind energy technology, electric vehicle technology, heat pump technology, and green building technology.
• Kraft Center for Student Success
• Reentry Empowerment Program (REP)

Products and services

• HVAC&R Technology Certificate An 8-month certificate program providing 800 hours toward licensure as an HVAC&R technician, including advanced environment-friendly refrigeration training.
• Practical Electricity Certificate A 12-month certificate program providing 600 education hours toward licensure as a journeyman electrician, with hands-on training in electrical systems.
• Automotive Technology Associate Degree A 2-year associate degree program teaching diagnosis and repair of modern automobiles, including hybrid, electric, and autonomous vehicles, using state-of-the-art equipment in a full-service working garage.
• Biotechnology Associate Degree An associate degree providing a foundation in biotechnology science with hands-on laboratory experience and two in-company internships, preparing students for entry-level roles in biomanufacturing, clinical research, and biotechnology settings.
• Construction Management Associate Degree A 2-year associate degree teaching how to oversee scheduling, budgeting, and modeling for complex construction projects, including co-op placements with construction companies.
• Cybersecurity Associate Degree Concentration An associate degree concentration preparing students for industry certification exams, covering cyber offense detection and prevention, security management, incident response, and threat assessment. Includes participation in the Franklin Cummings Tech Cybersecurity Clinic.
• Building Energy Management Associate Degree Concentration A concentration within Engineering Technology focusing on smart building technology and energy efficiency systems for clean tech careers.
• Mechatronics Technology Associate Degree Concentration

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% job placement rate for graduates in their field of choice or continuing education
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Amazon Career ChoicecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon partnership allowing hourly employees to pursue Franklin Cummings Tech education with tuition funding. Part of Amazon's broader career advancement initiative for its 750,000+ hourly employees.
• ChipotleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing tuition benefits for Chipotle employees attending Franklin Cummings Tech programs.
• McDonald'sminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing tuition benefits for McDonald's employees attending Franklin Cummings Tech programs.
• Boston Children's HospitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing educational opportunities and potential tuition benefits for Boston Children's Hospital employees.
• Boston Medical CentercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing educational opportunities for Boston Medical Center employees at Franklin Cummings Tech.
• Mass General BrighamcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership providing educational opportunities for Mass General Brigham employees at Franklin Cummings Tech.
• EdAssist SolutionscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerTuition assistance program partnership helping employees access Franklin Cummings Tech educational programs.
• Schneider ElectriccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOfficial Sustainability Partner of the Boston Marathon and collaboration with Franklin Cummings Tech marathon team. Strategic workforce partnership supporting clean energy education and careers.
• National GridcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership as part of Clean Energy Careers Academy. National Grid representatives visit campus for Lunch and Learn sessions. Wide-ranging strategic workforce development effort providing opportunities for historically underrepresented individuals.
• Ginkgo BioworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to develop an associate degree in biotechnology manufacturing, announced as BFIT-Ginkgo Bioworks biotechnology manufacturing associates program.
• Johnson ControlscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner$100,000 grant from Johnson Controls Community College Partnership Program to expand HVAC&R program resources and training capabilities.
• C&W ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic workforce partnership providing co-op positions and apprenticeship opportunities. C&W Services aims to hire many Franklin Cummings Tech students over the next 5-7 years to address wave of retirements in building operations industry. Students gain hands-on training at One Lincoln Street facility.
• DivcoWestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilding owner partnering with C&W Services and Franklin Cummings Tech to provide field training experiences for students at One Lincoln Street, a 36-story Class A office building.
• Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development) and Franklin Cummings Tech to strengthen Prison Education Program (PREP/REP) for justice-impacted individuals.
• ABCD (Action for Boston Community Development)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to strengthen Prison Education Program providing sustainable pathways to employment for justice-impacted individuals.
• International Facilities Management AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking with college to launch student chapter at Franklin Cummings Tech, which would be only the second student chapter in Massachusetts.
• Building Mass Careers, Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Steve Sullivan emphasized expanding access to quality technical education to address Commonwealth's growing demand for skilled trades professionals.
• Rebuilding Together BostonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership where Maintenance Technician program students completed 700 hours of service at Virginia House, a Dorchester home for veterans, replacing sheetrock and installing flooring.
• MassSkills CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFranklin Cummings Tech is a founding member of MassSkills Coalition, an initiative launched by Governor Healey and Lt. Governor Dragon to build a unified workforce development infrastructure in Massachusetts.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technical training (IT, cybersecurity, software) with employer partnerships for underemployed adults. Comparable in mission, employer-driven curriculum, and tuition-supported model.
• Year Up: National workforce-development nonprofit providing technical training, stipends, and corporate co-op placements for young adults from low-income communities. Highly comparable in mission, co-op model, employer partnerships, and target student demographic.
• Roxbury Community College: Boston-based public community college with mission overlap (urban, first-generation, career-technical students) located in the same Roxbury neighborhood. Competes head-to-head for the same underrepresented student demographic.
• MassBay Community College: Massachusetts public community college with strong technical/vocational programs (automotive, biotech, HVAC, engineering tech). Directly competes for the same regional student base in Greater Boston.
• Bunker Hill Community College: Large public community college in Boston offering associate degrees and certificates in technical/trade fields (HVAC, automotive, biotech, etc.). Closest public-sector competitor in the same metro, competing for similar students at lower or zero tuition.
• Wentworth Institute of Technology: Private nonprofit Boston university focused on applied/technical education in engineering, computing, and design. Directly comparable in mission (career-focused technical education in Boston) and student profile, though it leans more toward four-year bachelor's programs.
• Universal Technical Institute (UTI): For-profit national technical/trade school focused on automotive, diesel, welding, HVAC, and other skilled trades. Directly comparable in technical curriculum and career outcomes orientation, but operates as a for-profit with multiple national campuses.

Regional players

• Northern Essex Community College: Massachusetts community college north of Boston with technical/trade and workforce programs including HVAC, automotive, and biotech. Comparable curriculum but operates outside the Boston metro core.
• Quinsigamond Community College: Massachusetts community college in Worcester with similar technical/trade programs (automotive, manufacturing, healthcare). Comparable curriculum mix but serves a different central-MA geography from Franklin Cummings Tech's Boston base.

Others

• Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology (historic): Same legal entity under its prior brand (BFIT, renamed Franklin Cummings Tech in 2023). Included for completeness — historical peer identity is now the subject company.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/franklincummingstech

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 Franklin Cummings Tech