Admit rate has ranged 44%–60% over the last 5 years — notably volatile, though the latest figure above (38%) falls outside that window. Source: IPEDS via Urban Institute.
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.
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School (Venango Technology Center) is a hyper-practical, career-focused institution in Oil City, Pennsylvania that operates with the no-nonsense ethos of a trade school. It serves as a critical workforce pipeline for the region, offering direct training in fields like nursing, computer information systems, and business technology. The school's identity is defined by its hands-on curriculum, a student body largely drawn from six local school districts, and a clear-eyed focus on job placement and earnings over traditional college life.
Admission requirements
Test-blind — scores not considered
Required
High school transcript
Considered (not required)
Letters of recommendation
Source: IPEDS Admissions survey (2022) via Urban Institute. Covers formal factors only — it does not reflect essays, extracurriculars, or other holistic criteria.
More details
Undergrad enrollment
59
Annual Cost (In-State)
$18,952
Graduation Rate (150%)
48.28%
Median Earnings (10yr)
$38,161
Average Debt at Graduation
$13,500
Percent Receiving Federal Grants
71%
Percent Receiving State/Local Grants
68%
Outcomes & value
Outcomes & value
Median earnings (10 yr)
$38,161
Value (earnings ÷ net price)
2.6×
Median debt at graduation
$13,500
Reducing loan balance (3 yr)
50%
Pell (lower-income) share
71%
First-gen share (among federal-aid recipients)
65%
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
Campus safety
On-campus violent crimes (2024)
0
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.
Climate
Pleasant days / yr
95
Summer high
78°F
Winter low
23°F
Annual rain
49.5"
Annual snow
39.8"
Natural-hazard risk
Relatively Low
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.
Quick answers
What is the acceptance rate at Venango County Area Vocational Technical School?
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School's acceptance rate is approximately 38% (Oil City, PA), based on the most recent figures we compiled from public and primary sources.
How much does Venango County Area Vocational Technical School cost?
At Venango County Area Vocational Technical School, the average net price (after aid) is about $14,655 per year. Actual cost varies with financial aid and residency.
How many undergraduates attend Venango County Area Vocational Technical School?
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School enrolls approximately 59 undergraduate students.
Where is Venango County Area Vocational Technical School located?
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School is located in Oil City, PA.
Admissions
Admissions at Venango Technology Center are selective but not hyper-competitive, with an that has shown notable volatility in recent years. For the 2024 cycle, the school admitted 50 out of 130 applicants, resulting in a 38.5% acceptance rate. Historical data suggests this rate has fluctuated between 44% and 60% over the preceding five years, indicating shifts in applicant pool size or institutional capacity. The admissions process is not open admission, meaning some level of review is applied to applications. The school's rate—the percentage of admitted students who enroll—is a robust 74%, suggesting that those who are admitted are highly likely to attend, a common trait for career-focused schools serving a local population. The admissions team reportedly encourages applicants to highlight academic strengths through transcripts, essays, and recommendations.
Academics are exclusively career and technical, built around short-term certificates and diplomas designed for immediate workforce entry. The curriculum is intensely practical, emphasizing the application of technical knowledge and skills. Programs prepare students to support the design and development of software applications in Computer Information Systems (CIS). Other training encompasses a wide range of vocational skills, including human relations, product and service technology, communications, merchandising, management, business mathematics, and advertising. The school's mission is succinctly captured in its tagline: 'Quality Training for Quality People! Providing Career and Technical Education.' Instruction appears to be delivered both for traditional high school students from the region's six school districts and for adult learners seeking career training.
Student life is inextricably linked to the school's vocational purpose; this is not a residential college campus with dorms, Greek life, or traditional athletics. The experience is likely centered on the technical training facility at 1 Vo-Tech Drive in Oil City. The center serves all six school districts in the surrounding Oil Region, suggesting a student body deeply rooted in local northwestern Pennsylvania communities. Some students may participate in broader career exploration and preparation initiatives, such as those measured by Pennsylvania's Career Standard Indicator, which tracks meaningful engagement in career readiness. External support programs like TRIO Upward Bound, which offers tutoring, workshops, and summer learning opportunities to high school students, may also be a resource for some in the pipeline to the school. Campus life reviews on Niche mention housing, food, athletics, and clubs, but these likely refer to minimal or non-traditional offerings given the institution's technical focus.
Outcomes are the ultimate measure of success for a vocational school, and Venango Technology Center publishes concrete data on completion and earnings. The graduation rate (within 150% of normal time) is 48.28%, meaning 14 out of 29 candidates completed their courses. For specific programs like nursing, the completion rate has been reported at 62% to 67%. Placement rates are gathered six months after graduation, and for nursing graduates, starting wages have ranged from $22.00 to $37.00 per hour. Broader earnings data shows graduates earning a median salary of $38,161 after attending. More granular figures suggest earnings one year after graduation around $39,524, and five years after around $36,887. The average debt for graduates is $13,500. Retention rates are also tracked as a measure of student persistence.
The published annual cost for in-state students is $18,952, which includes tuition and required fees. Out-of-state and in-district students are charged the same annual cost. After financial aid, the average students pay is $14,655. The school participates in federal and state aid programs, with a high percentage of students receiving grants: 71% receive federal grants averaging $6,080, and 68% receive state/local grants averaging $8,611. Grants and scholarships, which do not have to be repaid, are emphasized; for example, Pell Grants can provide up to $11,000 for qualified students. The school also offers numerous institutional scholarships, which may be merit-based, academic, or athletic. Financial aid guidance is available, and students are directed to contact a Financial Aid Coordinator for immediate assistance. packages may include a combination of grants, Federal Work-Study, and student loans.
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School stands out for its unapologetic, singular focus on vocational training as a direct pathway to the regional workforce. It lacks the pretensions and expansive liberal arts curriculum of a traditional college, operating instead as a precise instrument for economic mobility in northwestern Pennsylvania. Its identity is deeply community-embedded, serving as the centralized career and technical education hub for six local school districts. The school's value proposition is brutally clear: pay a relatively modest , complete a hands-on program in a field like nursing or CIS, and graduate with manageable debt into a job with a solid starting wage—often within six months. In an educational landscape crowded with institutions selling 'experience,' Venango Tech sells a specific, tangible outcome: employable skills. Its high rate of 74% signals that for the students it targets, this pragmatic exchange is exactly what they're looking for.
Venango County Area Vocational Technical School seal · sourceVenango Technology Center - Forest Area School District · sourceHome - Venango Technology Center · sourceVenango Tech Center LPN Program Moves to Venango Campus - exploreVenango · source
