What Rosedale Technical College does

Rosedale Technical College is a 501(c)(3) non-profit private trade school founded in 1949 and headquartered in Kennedy Township, Pittsburgh, PA. It delivers hands-on technical training across eight core occupational programs — Automotive Technology, Collision Repair, Diesel Technology, Truck Driving (CDL), HVAC, Welding, Construction Electricity, and Industrial Electricity — plus a newly launched Carpentry program (May 2025). Curriculum is ASE Education Foundation certified and the institution is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (most recent action April 24, 2025). Programs follow a four-day school week (Monday-Thursday) with day and evening schedules, typically completable in under two years, and tuition ranges from $3,674 to $15,923 per program with an average total annual cost of approximately $16,500 including supplies.

The business model is tuition-driven: nearly 88% of students utilize financial aid, with federal grants, loans, institutional grants, and external scholarships (e.g., PA State Grant, Pittsburgh Promise, #1 Cochran scholarships) functioning as the primary revenue mechanism. Ancillary revenue streams include certification programs (Mazda manufacturer training, PA Safety Inspection, Hazmat), custom corporate training, and annual fundraising events such as the Blue Jean Bash. The college supplements tuition with corporate and state capital — notably a $2.25 million pledge from #1 Cochran (Feb 2023) establishing the Technological Excellence Center, an $80,000 contribution from Johnson Controls funding a building-technician lab (May 2024), and a $1 million RACP grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (2021) supporting Phase II construction. These partnerships also yield donated equipment and vehicles, including a 2024 Ford Mustang GT valued at $61,000.

The go-to-market is sales-led and community-driven: direct enrollment through admissions is supplemented by a dedicated educational outreach team (Director plus four coordinators) that visits high schools, organizes field trips, and runs shadow-a-student programs across Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. Employer relationships — 1,800+ partners including Werner, XPO Logistics, Gordon Food Service, Pepsi, AGX Inc, and Butler-Gas — drive referrals and post-graduation placement, with bi-annual career fairs, employer presentations, and mock interviews operationalizing the pipeline. The 78-person staff serves a student base primarily composed of high school graduates, adult career switchers, and veterans (the institution has held Military Friendly designation since 2013).

Name

Rosedale Technical College

Legal name

Rosedale Technical College

Website

https://rosedaletech.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rosedale Technical College is a 501(c)(3) non-profit trade school in Pittsburgh, PA, founded in 1949, delivering hands-on training across eight skilled-trade programs (automotive, diesel, HVAC, electrical, welding, CDL, collision repair, carpentry) to high school graduates, adult learners, and veterans across Western Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational and Trade School Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Technical and Trade Schools (61151), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Construction, Engineering & Skilled Trades Licensure Prep (EDAAANAL), Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

Keywords

• Trade school education
• Vocational training programs
• Technical career training
• Skilled trades education
• Workforce development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Pittsburgh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Revenue from student tuition and mandatory fees for trade school programs. Financial aid available including federal grants, loans, and institutional grants.
2. Institutional Grants and Scholarships: Nearly 88% of students utilize financial aid. In 2023, nearly $175,000 in grants and scholarships were awarded to students. Approximately $50,000 raised at 75th anniversary gala.
3. Events and Fundraising: Blue Jean Bash annual fundraising event with ticket sales ($35/person) and sponsorship opportunities ($100-$3,000 tiers) supporting institutional grant programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Rosedale Technical College is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) trade school providing hands-on technical training programs in skilled trades including automotive technology, collision repair, diesel technology, truck driving (CDL), carpentry, welding, construction electricity, HVAC, and industrial electricity. Programs can be completed in under two years through a four-day school week (Monday-Thursday) schedule with both daytime and evening options at its Kennedy Township, Pittsburgh campus. The college also offers supplemental certification programs (Mazda, PA Safety/Emissions, Hazmat) and a flagship apprentice-style program with #1 Cochran.

Product overview

Rosedale Technical College is a private, non-profit trade school offering a portfolio of technical training programs. The institution provides eight core occupational programs (Automotive Technology, Collision Repair, Diesel Technology, Truck Driving/CDL, Carpentry, Welding Technician, Construction Electricity, Industrial Electricity, and HVAC) delivered through hands-on training labs and classroom instruction. The college operates on a four-day school week schedule (Monday-Thursday) with both daytime and evening programs. Additional offerings include certification programs like the #1 Cochran TECHcellence Program (apprentice-style employer partnership), Mazda Certification Training, PA Safety Inspection and Emissions Classes, Custom Corporate Training, and Hazmat Training. The college's programs are delivered at its Kennedy Township campus, which includes specialized labs like the #1 Cochran TechEx Center and Johnson Controls Lab.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Automotive Technology Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 11th ranked trade school nationally by Forbes based on post-graduate success, affordability, graduation rates, and student experience
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and flagship.

• SD Charities Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 June 2024Charitable initiative founded by Rosedale alumnus Paul Danner (ScannerDanner) to support automotive community and trade education. Introduced at 75th anniversary celebration.
• Johnson ControlscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2024$80,000 monetary and equipment contribution establishing Johnson Controls Lab with fully active training displays for fire alarm, sprinkler, suppression, security, and HVAC systems. Five-year partnership developing curriculum for building technician careers.
• #1 CochranflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 February 2023$2.25 million pledge establishing the #1 Cochran Technological Excellence Center for automotive and collision repair programs. Includes $100,000 in annual scholarships, new equipment, and facility enhancements. Vehicle donations including 2024 Ford Mustang GT valued at $61,000. Techcellence apprentice program provides paid work experience at #1 Cochran facilities.
• Dean TechcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Local Pittsburgh trade school that merged with Rosedale Tech in 2019. Dean Residence commemorative lab space honors the school, providing residential construction simulations for electricity, HVAC, and related programs.
• PA State Grant ProgramcoreOthersPennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency Grant available to eligible students
• Pittsburgh PromiseminorOthersScholarship program for Pittsburgh area students attending post-secondary education

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Florida Technical College: For-profit private college with hands-on trade programs in automotive, HVAC, electrical, welding, and industrial fields. Comparable on program mix and adult-learner focus, anchored to a different geography.
• WyoTech: Specialty trade school focused on automotive, diesel, and collision-refinish programs with strong industry partnerships and paid apprenticeship elements. Comparable on hands-on automotive/diesel specialization and employer partner ecosystem.
• Penn Foster: Nationally accredited online career school offering trades, automotive, HVAC, electrician, and welding programs. Comparable on trade-focused curriculum, contrasts with Rosedale on online-vs-on-campus delivery.
• Apex Technical School: NYC-based private trade school offering automotive, HVAC, welding, electrical, and CDL programs. Comparable on multi-trade hands-on training with employer placement emphasis.
• New Castle School of Trades: Pennsylvania-based private trade school offering welding, HVAC, electrical, auto/diesel, and CDL programs. Closest geographic and program-mix analog to Rosedale in Western PA.

Regional players

• Triangle Tech: Western Pennsylvania-based private trade school offering HVAC, welding, electrical, and construction programs. Direct regional competitor with similar CTE focus and employer placement model.
• Pittsburgh Technical College (South College Pittsburgh): Pittsburgh-based career-focused college that, prior to its merger into South College, operated as a direct local competitor to Rosedale. Comparable on regional trade-school positioning and employer pipelines in the same metro.

Broad incumbents

• ECPI University: Multi-state private career college with hands-on technical programs including electronics, mechanical, and trades-adjacent curricula. Comparable on career-focused, employer-aligned model at larger scale.
• Universal Technical Institute: Largest US trade-school operator with automotive, diesel, welding, collision, and CNC programs across multiple campuses. Directly comparable multi-trade curriculum and employer-driven placement model, scaled nationally.
• Lincoln Tech: Multi-campus private career college with automotive, HVAC, welding, electrical, and industrial programs. Most directly comparable to Rosedale on program mix and adult-learner focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/RosedaleTech
• Facebookfacebook.com/rosedaletech
• Instagraminstagram.com/rosedaletech
• TikToktiktok.com/@rosedaletech
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/rosedale-technical-college

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Rosedale Technical College