UTI was founded in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1965, with an automotive curriculum. Over the past five decades, the campus has grown from 11 students and a single building to a modern training facility that accommodates the Automotive Technology II and Diesel Technology II training programs. In 2004, the campus relocated to a new 282,000 square‑foot facility in Avondale, Arizona.
Through the years, in a continuing effort to match student skills with the needs of the industry, UTI has developed and expanded with additional curriculum and campuses. In 2003, UTI became a public company through a successful initial public offering of its common stock.
In 1983, UTI opened a campus in Houston, Texas, that offers the Automotive Technology and Diesel & Industrial Technology training programs. In 1984, the Houston campus added additional space to accommodate an increasing number of students. In 1999, it expanded to house the Collision Repair and Refinish Technology program and additional space was added in 2001.
A campus was built in Glendale Heights, Illinois, in 1988. Additional class and lab space was added in 1997. The Illinois campus was moved to its new location in Lisle in late 2013.
In 2002, Universal Technical Institute of North Carolina, Inc., opened NASCAR Technical Institute in Mooresville, North Carolina.
In 2004, Universal Technical Institute of Pennsylvania, Inc., opened in Exton, Pennsylvania.