Community College of Denver

What Community College of Denver does

Community College of Denver (CCD) is a fully accredited public community college founded in 1967 in Denver, Colorado, operating as part of the Colorado Community College System (CCCS) under the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. It serves a diverse student body through open enrollment with a 100% acceptance policy, offering 100+ program pathways organized into academic clusters (Health Sciences, STEM, Business, Education, Arts/Communication/Design, etc.) across certificates, associate degrees, and select bachelor's degrees, with delivery via on-campus, online (CCD Online), and hybrid formats. Its core technology stack consists of industry-standard higher-ed platforms — D2L Brightspace for the LMS, EAB Navigate 360 for student success/advising, CCDConnect (an Ellucian portal) for student information, YuJa for video, and Handshake for career services — with no proprietary AI or ML components.

CCD's business model is that of a publicly-funded non-tuition-dominant institution: revenue is sourced from a mix of state appropriations (via CCCS), tuition and fees (priced at half the cost of Colorado four-year public colleges), federal/state financial aid processing, and private donations through the CCD Foundation. Pricing is per-credit-hour with the College Opportunity Fund (COF) stipend available to Colorado residents and the Colorado Promise tax credit (expanded for tax year 2025) covering out-of-pocket tuition/fees for students with AGI ≤ $90,000. The customer base spans five named segments — traditional college students, adult learners/workforce, military-connected, undocumented/DREAMer, and international students — distributed across hundreds of individual enrollees rather than concentrated enterprise contracts. CCD's most differentiated asset is its location on the Auraria Campus, where it is the only community college in the nation sharing a campus with two four-year universities (MSU Denver and CU Denver), enabling guaranteed transfer pathways and resource co-location that competitors cannot replicate.

Name

Community College of Denver

Legal name

Community College of Denver

Website

https://ccd.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Community College of Denver is a public, open-enrollment community college in Denver, Colorado, part of the Colorado Community College System, offering 100+ certificate, associate, and bachelor's degree pathways to traditional students, adult learners, veterans, DREAMers, and international students at half the tuition of Colorado four-year public colleges.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (61121), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE), Urban/Metropolitan Community Colleges (EDAHADAL), Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Workforce training
• Healthcare career programs
• Transfer pathways

Headquarters

HQ city

Denver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Tuition revenue from in-state and out-of-state students. Half the cost of Colorado four-year public colleges. Colorado Promise Tax Credit program provides tuition reimbursement for eligible students.
2. State Funding: Public institution part of Colorado Community College System receiving state funding.
3. Financial Aid Processing: Processes federal and state financial aid including grants, loans, and scholarships for students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Community College of Denver is a public, open-enrollment community college delivering higher education through 100+ program pathways across associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor's degrees. Instruction is offered in on-campus, online (CCD Online), and hybrid formats across academic pathways including Health Sciences, STEM, Business, Education, and skilled trades. The institution supplements academic instruction with student support services such as financial aid, transfer services, workforce development, and credit for prior learning.

Product overview

Community College of Denver is a fully accredited, open-enrollment community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of higher education programs and services. The institution operates as a multi-modality learning provider with its core CCD Online platform for distance education, augmented by on-campus and hybrid learning options. The academic structure centers on 100+ program pathways organized into Academic Pathways (including Health Sciences, STEM, Business, Education, and more), with specialized accredited programs in healthcare fields including Dental Hygiene, Radiologic Technology, Surgical Technology, Practical Nursing, and Veterinary Technology. Student success services include the Center for Workforce Initiatives for career-connected learning, Financial Aid & Scholarships with the Colorado Promise expansion, Credit for Prior Learning (Momentum Credit) for experiential credit, Transfer Services with guaranteed university transfer, and comprehensive support through Accessibility Center, Testing Center, and Honors Programs. The institution shares the Auraria Campus with MSU Denver and CU Denver, serving as Colorado's only community college at a tri-institutional campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic Pathways Structured degree and certificate programs organized into academic pathways including Arts Communication & Design, Business, Education, Health Sciences, Manufacturing, Public Safety & Legal Services, STEM, and Social & Behavioral Sciences, offered to prospective and enrolled students.
• CCD Online Online learning platform offering accredited distance education courses for students who prefer remote or asynchronous learning options, with access to academic programs via digital delivery.
• Continuing Education & Noncredit Programs Noncredit educational offerings and professional development courses for workforce training and skill advancement, including trade and technology programs, bootcamps, and skill development workshops for working adults.
• Center for Workforce Initiatives Career-focused programs connecting students with workforce development resources, career-connected learning opportunities, and employer partnerships, hosting career fairs, internship connections, and workforce training.
• Financial Aid & Scholarships Comprehensive financial assistance services including grants, loans, work-study programs, and institutional scholarships, plus the Colorado Promise tax credit program and Dream.US scholarship for undocumented students.
• Momentum Credit / Credit for Prior Learning Program enabling students to earn college credit for knowledge and skills acquired through prior learning, work experience, military service, or standardized tests, including challenge exams, portfolio assessment, and credit for industry certifications.
• Transfer Services Articulation agreements and transfer pathways enabling students to transition to four-year universities, including guaranteed transfer to Colorado public universities and inter-institutional agreements with MSU Denver and CU Denver.
• Accessibility Center Support services for students with disabilities providing accommodations, assistive technology, and resources to ensure equal access to educational programs.
• Honors Programs & Societies

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% of students graduate with zero student loan debt
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Metropolitan State University of DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-institutional campus partnership. CCD is the only community college in the nation sharing a campus with two four-year universities - MSU Denver and CU Denver. Students benefit from inter-institutional programs and shared resources.
• University of Colorado DenvercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTri-institutional campus partnership. Shared Auraria Campus location with CCD and MSU Denver, enabling cross-institutional collaboration and resource sharing.
• Colorado Community College System (CCCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCD is part of the Colorado Community College System, governed by the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education. System-wide policies and shared services support college operations.
• Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerShared campus management organization providing joint services including police department, facilities management, and campus-wide policies for the three institutions on the Auraria Campus.
• Phoenix Center at AurariaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for prevention education around stalking, harassment, dating violence, and sexual assault. Provides timely prevention training for the tri-institutional campus.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Front Range Community College: Public community college in Westminster, CO, part of the same Colorado Community College System as CCD. Operates with similar open enrollment, affordability, and program pathway model serving the Denver metro region with overlapping student populations.
• Arapahoe Community College: Public community college in Littleton, CO, part of the same Colorado Community College System. Offers comparable associate degrees, transfer pathways, and workforce training to a similar Denver-metro demographic.
• Red Rocks Community College: Public community college in Lakewood, CO, part of the same Colorado Community College System. Shares CCD's open enrollment structure, transfer pathway programs, and CCCS governance model.
• Pikes Peak State College: Public community college in Colorado Springs, part of the same Colorado Community College System. Operates with comparable two-year associate degree, workforce, and transfer pathway programs under shared CCCS policies.
• Community College of Aurora: Public community college in Aurora, CO, part of the same Colorado Community College System. Directly competes with CCD for Denver-metro students with similar open enrollment and affordability positioning.
• Northern Virginia Community College: One of the largest public community college systems in the US, serving the greater Washington DC metro with similar open enrollment, affordable tuition, transfer pathways, and workforce development programs.
• Austin Community College: Large public community college district in Texas serving Austin metro with similar two-year associate degree, transfer, and workforce credential programs targeting affordability and diverse student populations.
• Pasadena City College: Large public community college in California with comparable open enrollment, transfer pathway focus, and broad program portfolio serving a diverse urban population.
• Houston Community College: Large public community college system in Texas serving a diverse urban population with open enrollment, two-year degrees, workforce training, and transfer pathways comparable to CCD's operating model.
• Broward College: Public college in Florida offering associate and bachelor's degrees with open enrollment, workforce programs, and transfer pathways serving a diverse urban demographic similar to CCD's mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CCDedu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CCDEdu
• Facebookfacebook.com/CCDEdu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-college-of-denver
• Instagraminstagram.com/ccdedu
• TikToktiktok.com/@ccdedu

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Community College of Denver