Exhibit 99.1

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Education Management
Corporation (Nasdaq: EDMC) today announced that J. William Brooks, Jr. has
been elected President and Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Vice
President David J. Pauldine has been elected Chief Marketing Officer.

    Previously, Mr. Brooks was the President and Chief Executive Officer of
American Education Centers from 1998 until its acquisition by EDMC earlier
this month. He has been in the field of post-secondary education for fifteen
years.

    Mr. Pauldine's new duties will give him marketing oversight over all of
EDMC's schools, as well as operational supervision of two of the major school
groups.

    John R. McKernan, Jr., EDMC's Chief Executive Officer, said, "These are
important changes for our company. Bill Brooks will bring energy, and
experience at a time when there are new opportunities for growth for our
company. His success at establishing cost-effective school models and
efficient use of technology at the American Education Centers will serve us
well as we expand our program offerings at EDMC's campuses. Dave Pauldine's
election as Chief Marketing Officer will ensure that we maximize the brand
equity in our various schools."

    Education Management Corporation (http://www.edmc.com) is among the
largest providers of private post-secondary education in North America, based
on student enrollment and revenue. Including the recent acquisitions of AEC
and South University, student enrollment was approximately 50,000 as of fall
2002. EDMC has 65 primary campus locations in 24 states and two Canadian
provinces. EDMC's education institutions offer a broad range of academic
programs in the media arts, design, fashion, culinary arts, behavioral
sciences, health sciences, education, information technology and business
fields, culminating in the award of associate's through doctoral degrees. EDMC
has provided career-oriented education for 40 years, and its education
institutions have more than 150,000 alumni.

    This press release may include information that could constitute
forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provision of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any such forward-looking
statements may involve risk and uncertainties that could cause actual results
to differ materially from any future results encompassed within the forward-
looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences
include those matters disclosed in the Company's Securities and Exchange
Commission filings. Past results of EDMC are not necessarily indicative of its
future results. EDMC does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-
looking statements.

     FOR:  Education Management Corporation
           COMPANY CONTACTS:
           Robert McDowell
           Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
           (412) 562-0900
           James Sober, CFA
           Vice President, Investor Relations
           (412) 995-7684

SOURCE  Education Management Corporation
    -0-                             09/15/2003
    /CONTACT:  Robert McDowell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer of Education Management Corporation, +1-412-562-0900, or James Sober,
CFA Vice President, Investor Relations, +1-412-995-7684/
    /Web site:  http://www.edmc.com /
    (EDMC)

CO:  Education Management Corporation
ST:  Pennsylvania
IN:  EDU
SU:  PER