By Arizona AI · Profile reviewed · 46 sourced facts
The University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is a private, for-profit technology university in Tempe, founded in Phoenix in 1983 as CAD Institute. UAT offers degrees in artificial intelligence, robotics, data science and digital fabrication, and holds a national cyber defense education designation from the NSA and DHS. UAT enrolled 933 students in fall 2024, and in the year to June 2025 it awarded 16 artificial intelligence degrees and 25 robotics degrees, according to federal data.
Sources: University of Advancing Technology: Campus Information, University of Advancing Technology: 2025-2027 Academic Catalog (September 2026 revision), U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics · Addresses open Google Maps in a new tab
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The University of Advancing Technology (UAT) is a private, for-profit technology university in Tempe. Federal education data list it as a 4-year, private for-profit institution. Its academic catalog names the operator as University of Advancing Computer Technology, Inc., an Arizona corporation established in 1983, and calls UAT a family-owned university. State business records show the corporation was formed on September 27, 1983 and is a for-profit corporation in good standing.
How it started: Dominic and Ann Pistillo founded the school in Phoenix in 1983 as CAD Institute, a computer-aided design training school that later became UAT.
Who runs it: The catalog names Karla Aragon-Joyce as president, Valerie Cimarossa as chancellor, Dr. David B. Bolman as provost and Jason Konesco as chairman of the board.
Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission accredits UAT and reaffirmed its accreditation in May 2025. The Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education licenses it.
Size: UAT enrolled 933 students in fall 2024, 855 undergraduates and 78 graduate students, with 35 full-time and 10 part-time faculty, according to its federal report.
Degrees in AI and robotics: UAT's technology degrees include:
Graduates in the field: From July 2024 to June 2025 UAT awarded 16 artificial intelligence degrees (13 associate, 3 bachelor's) and 25 robotics degrees (15 associate, 10 bachelor's), according to federal completions data.
Chip design in the classroom: In the robotics course RBT131, students design a 4-bit microcontroller and implement an assembly instruction set on it.
Cybersecurity: The NSA and the Department of Homeland Security designate UAT a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, according to its catalog.
The Tempe campus: UAT's main campus at 2625 W. Baseline Road holds a Research and Creation Center with an OptiTrack motion tracking system, a Makers Fab Lab and Founder's Hall student housing across the quad. Tempe building permits date the main building to 1996 and the housing building to 2006. The Maricopa County Assessor lists the 5.63-acre campus parcel under Dorado Capital Investments LLC, whose members are UAT's founders, Dominic and Ann Pistillo, according to state business records. In May 2026 the chancellor announced a Manufacturing Innovation Lab with a commercial CNC mill for the summer semester.
Startups and events: Perimeter83, on the main building's second floor, offers startup coworking and corporate training. UAT hosted and co-presented the AZ Research and Innovation Expo on April 11, 2026, during Arizona Tech Week, as listed by the Arizona Technology Council. It held its first Tech Respect Summit, on AI, cybersecurity and IT, on November 12, 2025.
Student wins in 2026: UAT reports that its team won the Student Technology Showcase during Arizona Tech Week with an AI app for supply-chain risk and procurement. The chancellor's May 2026 message names the app, Nexus, and the event, the AI Meets Electronics Manufacturing Symposium. Another UAT team won the University Prize at the expo UAT hosted.
Graduation: Of full-time, first-time students who started in fall 2018, 35% graduated within 150% of normal time and 23% transferred out, according to federal data. For bachelor's students the six-year rate was 27%. UAT's own student achievement page gives 31% for the same group, and Arizona AI shows the federal figure.
Retention: UAT reports that 74% of first-time, full-time bachelor's students who began in fall 2024 returned in fall 2025.
Degrees awarded: In the year to June 2025 UAT awarded 160 associate degrees, 109 bachelor's degrees, 44 master's degrees and 21 postbaccalaureate certificates across all fields.
Requirements: Every bachelor's graduate completes a Student Innovation Project, and every on-campus undergraduate completes an apprenticeship or internship.
Each figure is dated and linked to its source. Figures that are company-reported, announced, or projected rather than measured are labeled.
| Measure | Value | As of | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Address | 2625 W. Baseline Road, Tempe, AZ 85283-1056 | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| What happens here | Classes, labs, student projects and student housing | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Land | 5.63 acres | 2026-11-02 | verified | Maricopa County Assessor |
| Main building | 51,534 sq ft | 2026-11-02 | verified | Maricopa County Assessor |
| Founder's Hall student housing | 63,492 sq ft | 2026-11-02 | verified | Maricopa County Assessor |
| Parcel owner of record | Dorado Capital Investments LLC | 2026-11-02 | verified | Maricopa County Assessor |
| Parcel owner's members | Dominic and Ann Pistillo, UAT's founders | 2026-11-02 | verified | Arizona Corporation Commission |
| Main building permit | 1996 | 1996-12-09 | verified | City of Tempe |
| Housing permit | 2006 | 2006-06-05 | verified | City of Tempe |
| Measure | Value | As of | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing Innovation Lab | New lab announced for summer 2026 | 2026-11-02 | announced From a public announcement. Plans can change. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Measure | Value | As of | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artificial intelligence degree | Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Robotics degree | Bachelor of Science in Robotics Engineering | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Processor design course | RBT131 Digital Logic Basic Processor Design | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Data science degree | Bachelor of Science in Data Science | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Digital fabrication degree | Bachelor of Science in Digital Maker and Fabrication | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Bachelor's graduation requirement | Student Innovation Project | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Internship requirement | Apprenticeship or internship required | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Faculty, fall 2024 | 35 full-time, 10 part-time | 2024-11-01 | verified | U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 15 to 1 | 2024-11-01 | verified | U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics |
| Applicants admitted, fall 2024 | 98% | 2024-10-15 | verified | U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics |
| Average undergraduate on-campus class size, fall 2026 | 19 students | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Bachelor's degrees awarded, July 2024 to June 2025 | 109 | 2025-06-30 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Associate degrees awarded, July 2024 to June 2025 | 160 | 2025-06-30 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Master's degrees awarded, July 2024 to June 2025 | 44 | 2025-06-30 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Postbaccalaureate certificates awarded, July 2024 to June 2025 | 21 | 2025-06-30 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Bachelor's graduation rate within six years, fall 2018 starters | 27% | 2024-08-31 | verified | U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics |
| Undergraduates who completed the fall 2025 term without withdrawing | 89.82% | 2025-12-21 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Measure | Value | As of | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal operator | University of Advancing Computer Technology, Inc. | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Original name | CAD Institute, Phoenix | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| President | Karla Aragon-Joyce | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Chancellor | Valerie Cimarossa | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Provost and chief academic officer | Dr. David B. Bolman | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Chairman of the board | Jason Konesco | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Institutional accreditation | Higher Learning Commission, reaffirmed May 2025 | 2025-05-12 | verified | Higher Learning Commission |
| Arizona license | Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Cyber defense designation | National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Student Technology Showcase, Arizona Tech Week 2026 | First place | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| AZ Research and Innovation Expo, April 2026 | University Prize | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| Perimeter83 | Startup coworking and corporate training space | 2026-11-02 | company-reported From the company's own published information. | University of Advancing Technology |
| State business record | For-profit corporation, active and in good standing | 2026-04-28 | verified | Arizona Corporation Commission |
Arizona AI currently tracks 4 open University of Advancing Technology roles in Arizona, the largest named category being internships & early career (1). Counts come from the Arizona AI job index, aggregated from the employer's own careers system and refreshed twice daily; they reflect published listings, not total employment.
Arizona AI is currently tracking 4 open University of Advancing Technology roles in Arizona, in Tempe. The count updates automatically as University of Advancing Technology adds and removes postings, and duplicate listings for the same role are merged.
The largest categories among current listings at University of Advancing Technology in Arizona are internships & early career (1). Categories are derived from job titles by Arizona AI.
University of Advancing Technology lists Arizona roles in Tempe. Locations are shown exactly as University of Advancing Technology publishes them; the company's main Arizona site is Tempe, AZ. Employers sometimes label roles with the metropolitan area rather than the specific campus city.
Each listing on this page links through to University of Advancing Technology's own application page. Arizona AI does not collect applications or charge job seekers, and roles are aggregated from the employer's official careers system rather than from third-party recruiters.
Private. Federal education data list UAT as a 4-year, private for-profit institution. Arizona Corporation Commission records list its operator, University of Advancing Computer Technology, Inc., as a for-profit corporation formed on September 27, 1983. Its catalog calls UAT family-owned.
Yes. The Higher Learning Commission accredits UAT and reaffirmed its accreditation in May 2025. The Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education licenses it.
UAT offers bachelor's degrees in Artificial Intelligence, Robotics Engineering, Data Science and Digital Maker and Fabrication. From July 2024 to June 2025 it awarded 16 artificial intelligence degrees and 25 robotics degrees, counting associate and bachelor's degrees, according to federal data.
UAT enrolled 933 students in fall 2024: 855 undergraduates and 78 graduate students. Its student-to-faculty ratio is 15 to 1, and it admitted 98% of its 360 fall 2024 applicants, according to federal data.
Federal data show that 35% of full-time, first-time students who started in fall 2018 graduated within 150% of normal time, and 23% transferred out. UAT's own student achievement page gives 31% for the same group. UAT reports that 74% of first-time, full-time bachelor's students who began in fall 2024 returned in fall 2025.
UAT is a teaching university. Its fall 2024 federal report lists 35 full-time and 10 part-time faculty, all in teaching. Its chip work is in the classroom: robotics students design a 4-bit microcontroller in course RBT131. UAT holds the NSA and DHS National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense designation.