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Citing an increase in enrollment and the college's economic contributions, Dr. Michael J. Reed, Pennsylvania College of Technology president, sought a motion from the college's board of directors to request an additional $5.5 million from the state legislature for the 2027-28 state budget. The request was made at the board's recent meeting.
"We've increased enrollment for a fourth straight year. We placed 98% of our graduates. We welcomed our largest incoming class since 2018. We received verbal support and praise from nearly all legislators in Harrisburg, and we now contribute well over $400 million a year to our Commonwealth's economy, and we adapted to significant increases in healthcare, utilities, and commodities. And unfortunately, we were flat funded last year," Reed told the board.
"You know, only about 18 to 19% of our total revenues come from appropriations. Therefore, to continue to meet the needs and to best serve our commonwealth without significantly increasing tuition for our students, we are going to be respectfully requesting for our commonwealth to increase our base appropriations by $5.5 million. I'm asking our board to support that we put in a request to increase our appropriations by $5.5 million," Reed added.
Penn College received $35.67 million in state budget appropriations for 2026-27 which was level funding from the previous year's budget.
According to information from the college, enrollment for Fall 2026 is at 4,741 students, a 12.3% increase from Fall 2022, post-COVID-19.
New student enrollment for Fall 2026, which includes all undergraduate, graduate and nondegree students -- new, transfer and re-enroll -- is 1,806, a 1.4% increase over the incoming class in Fall 2025.
"There are many challenges facing higher education today, but consistent enrollment growth makes it clear that our distinctive approach in preparing tomorrow's workforce is very appealing to students," Reed said.
"Our dedication to applied technology education -- guided by the needs of industry, puts students in the most competitive position for long-term success by providing them with real-world, durable skills. That's why there is tremendous demand for Penn College graduates in high-earning and high-growth fields," he added.
The college has a 98% overall placement rate, and Penn College alumni have median annual earnings 36 percent higher than graduates of all U.S. colleges, according to the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard which is derived from tax-filing data from individuals who received federal financial aid while in college, information from the college stated.