
Scranton, PAprivate forprofitfortis.edu
Acceptance & SAT from Common Data Set / IPEDS; net price, earnings & graduation from the U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~1–2 years — verify with the school.
Fortis Institute-Scranton is a for-profit career college in Pennsylvania's Lackawanna Valley, built for speed and direct entry into specific trades. It operates with an open admissions policy, funneling a small, focused student body of around 372 full-time learners into accelerated certificate and associate degree programs in healthcare and skilled trades. The experience is utilitarian: expect a tight 10:1 student-faculty ratio, a campus tour you can schedule with a call to admissions, and a focus on credential completion for immediate employment, with nearly half of its students graduating on time.
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Outcomes & value
Earnings = median of students working ~10 years after entry; debt = median of graduates. Value divides 10-yr earnings by one year’s net price — read it as earnings per dollar of annual cost, not a full lifetime ROI; it favors lower-cost schools. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard. Figures lag ~2 years and reflect all students, not your intended major.
Campus & location
On-campus criminal offenses classed as violent (murder/non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) for the most recent reported year. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education Campus Safety and Security (Clery Act). Counts reflect what’s reported to the school, and urban campuses often report more partly due to non-student incidents nearby — read alongside campus size and setting, not as a standalone safety verdict.
Pleasant days counts days per year with a mean temperature of 55–75°F, a high at or below 90°F, a low at or above 45°F, and little precipitation — a transparent comfort measure, not a weighting we invented. Computed from Open-Meteo ERA5 daily history (2019–2023). Natural-hazard risk is the county’s composite rating from the FEMA National Risk Index.
Fortis Institute-Scranton maintains an open admissions policy, meaning it accepts all applicants who meet basic requirements like a high school diploma or GED. Multiple sources confirm this accessible approach, with reported at 100%. There is no available data on SAT or ACT score ranges for enrolled students, as these standardized tests are not a factor in the admissions process for an open-enrollment institution. The school is small, with a total full-time enrollment of 372 students. The primary point of contact for prospective students is the admissions team, which can be reached via a toll-free number or email to schedule a personal, one-on-one meeting and campus tour.
The academic model at Fortis-Scranton is strictly career-oriented, offering certificate and associate degrees designed for rapid entry into specific technical fields. The institute is part of the larger Fortis network, which promotes training for careers in Nursing, Healthcare, Dental, and Skilled Trades. One of its identified top majors is Dental Support Services and Allied Professions. The learning environment is characterized by close supervision, with a student-faculty ratio of 10:1. The curriculum emphasizes practical skills acquisition, and the institution states a goal of fostering a desire for lifelong and continued education within its students.
Student life at Fortis-Scranton revolves around its focused, career-training mission rather than a traditional collegiate experience. The campus is small and urban, located at 517 Ash Street in Scranton. There is no available data on clubs, organizations, or residential life, suggesting the student body is primarily commuter-based and focused on their programs. The institute encourages prospective students to take a quick tour of the entire campus, which can be scheduled through a personal meeting with the admissions team. The catalog indicates students will explore "Life" skills as part of their education, aligning with the school's practical, career-ready focus.
Outcome metrics are central to Fortis-Scranton's value proposition as a career college. The 2022 cohort completion rate for first-time students in full-time programs is 49%. According to a 2025 annual report for its accreditor, the school tracks graduation, employment, and licensure/certification examination pass rates, though specific figures from that report are not provided in the snippets. Early-career earnings for graduates are modest; one source states graduates earn about $21,000 in their early career. The institution's focus is on placement into the workforce following the completion of its accelerated programs.
As a for-profit institution, Fortis-Scranton's cost structure requires careful consideration. The average after aid is a key figure for students. While one source lists a net price of $23,984, another suggests a starting net price of $19,792 for the lowest earners. The institute states that 83% of full-time beginning undergraduates receive grant or scholarship aid, with an average aid package of $7,363. Financial aid advisors are dedicated to helping students explore options, which include federal loans and grants. The school provides a net price calculator for prospective students to estimate their individual costs. There is no indication of a no-loan policy or a commitment to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial need with grants alone.
Fortis Institute-Scranton stands out for its unambiguous, no-frills mission: it is a direct pipeline into specific allied health and trade careers for students seeking an alternative to a traditional liberal arts path. Its defining characteristics are its open admissions policy, which guarantees access, and its intensely practical, accelerated programs with a 10:1 student-faculty ratio. The experience is transactional and focused—you come for a specific credential, you train in a focused environment, and you leave for the workforce. It does not pretend to offer a broad campus life or a exploratory academic curriculum. For an adult learner or career-changer in the Scranton area looking for efficient skills training in fields like dental assisting, it provides a clear, accessible route. However, prospective students must diligently weigh the costs against the reported completion rates and early-career earnings outcomes.

