Big Sandy Community and Technical College

What Big Sandy Community and Technical College does

Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) is a public two-year higher education institution and one of 16 colleges within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), headquartered at 1 Bert T. Combs Drive, Prestonsburg, Kentucky. The institution serves Eastern Kentucky through four primary campuses (Prestonsburg, Pikeville, Paintsville, and Hager Hill) plus off-campus instructional sites at Southeast State Correctional Complex and United States Penitentiary Big Sandy, and enrolled 2,584 students in Fall 2023 with a total reach exceeding 4,700 across all programs. BSCTC offers more than 25 academic and technical programs yielding over 200 credentials — associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates — spanning Cybersecurity, Respiratory Care, Criminal Justice, Nursing, Welding, Electrical Technology, HVAC, and other technical trades, supplemented by the East Kentucky Science Center and Varia Planetarium as a regional STEM hub.

BSCTC's core operating technology includes a Distance Learning platform delivered through partnership with Kentucky Virtual Campus, providing access to more than 1,100 online classes, and the Varia Planetarium featuring Digistar 7 projection with Kentucky's only GOTO Star Projector. The institution is institutionally accredited by SACSCOC and programmatically accredited by CoARC for Respiratory Care (Program Number 200477), with curriculum differentiated through employer-sponsored apprenticeship pathways, dual credit programs with regional high schools, and the KCTCS-TRAINS customized business training program.

BSCTC's revenue model combines tuition (resident $195/credit hour, dual credit $97/credit hour, non-resident $270/credit hour, online $195 plus $20 distance learner fee), mandatory per-credit-hour fees, state appropriations through KCTCS, employer-funded workforce contracts, federal grant funding (including NSF Grant 2054966 and prior U.S. Department of Education awards of $2.25M in 2019 and $1.8M in 2024), and charitable revenue through the Big Sandy College Educational Foundation ($344,369). The college distributes education through direct enrollment, dual credit channel partnerships with high schools, apprenticeship channel partners, workforce solutions enterprise contracts, and corrections-based channel arrangements, targeting traditional students, adult learners, military/veterans, students with disabilities (via Pre-ETS), and regional employers.

Name

Big Sandy Community and Technical College

Legal name

Big Sandy Community and Technical College

Website

https://bigsandy.kctcs.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Big Sandy Community and Technical College is a public two-year community college within Kentucky's KCTCS system, operating four campuses in Eastern Kentucky to deliver associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, apprenticeships, and workforce training to over 4,700 students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community and Technical College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (611210), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD), Workforce Development & Continuing Education Divisions (Noncredit) (EDAHADAG)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Workforce training programs
• Associate degree programs
• Technical certifications
• Apprenticeship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Prestonsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from student tuition and fees. Resident students pay $195/credit hour, dual credit students $97/credit hour, nonresident students $270/credit hour. Additional mandatory fees of $8/credit hour and distance learner fees of $20/credit hour apply. Students can pay upfront or through payment plans.
2. Foundation Revenue: The Big Sandy College Educational Foundation, Inc. raises funds through donations, sponsorships, and endowments. In recent years, nearly $400,000 in scholarships were awarded to students from foundation funds. Current foundation revenue recorded at $344,369.00.
3. Workforce Solutions: Non-credit workforce training programs serving businesses and industry in eastern Kentucky. Programs include customized training, apprenticeships, and professional development courses for regional employers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) delivers two-year higher education through more than 25 academic and technical programs across four campuses in Eastern Kentucky (Prestonsburg, Pikeville, Paintsville, and Hager Hill). Offerings include associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates in fields such as cybersecurity, respiratory care, nursing, criminal justice, welding, and electrical technology, alongside distance learning via Kentucky Virtual Campus, workforce training through KCTCS-TRAINS, apprenticeship programs, and the East Kentucky Science Center and Varia Planetarium.

Product overview

Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) operates as a two-year higher education institution within the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), offering a portfolio of academic programs and student services. The institution provides over 25 academic and technical programs across four campuses (Prestonsburg, Pikeville, Paintsville, and Hager Hill) serving over 4,700 students. Core academic offerings include Cybersecurity (with Network Defense track), Respiratory Care (CoARC accredited), and Criminal Justice (with law enforcement, corrections, and computer forensics tracks). BSCTC extends its reach through Distance Learning via Kentucky Virtual Campus (1,100+ online classes), the East Kentucky Science Center and Varia Planetarium (STEM education hub with Digistar 7 projection), Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with disabilities, and workforce development programs including Apprenticeships and KCTCS-TRAINS. Student support infrastructure includes the CARES Center for academic success coaching, career services via Handshake and O-NET, and administrative IT services. The institution offers over 200 credentials including associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates across healthcare, technology, business, and technical trades.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cybersecurity Program An academic degree program preparing students to design, develop, and maintain secure computer systems. The Network Defense track covers hardware, software, user, and data security. Supported by NSF Grant Number 2054966.
• Respiratory Care Program A CoARC-accredited program (Program Number 200477) preparing students to assess, treat, and care for patients with breathing disorders, leading to Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentials.
• Criminal Justice Program Academic program preparing students for entry into police work and related occupations, with tracks in law enforcement, corrections, and computer forensics. Includes transfer pathway to Eastern Kentucky University.
• Distance Learning Online education alternative for students unable to attend on-campus classes. Through partnership with Kentucky Virtual Campus, offers more than 1,100 online classes at the same resident tuition rate of $195/credit hour plus $20 distance learner fee.
• East Kentucky Science Center and Varia Planetarium STEM education hub on the Prestonsburg campus featuring a 40-foot dome planetarium with Digistar 7 projection system and the state's only GOTO Star Projector, an interactive exhibit hall, and laser light music shows.
• Apprenticeship Program Earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship program combining employer-provided on-the-job training with BSCTC classroom instruction. Programs range from one to six years and lead to nationally recognized industry credentials in IT, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, HVAC, and automotive.
• KCTCS-TRAINS Program Customized workforce training program funded by the Kentucky General Assembly, providing training for company employees to develop high-performance skills. New companies may be eligible for funding up to 75% for periods up to 6 months and total project costs up to $150,000.
• Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) Partnership with the Education and Workforce Cabinet's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation providing pre-employment transition services for Kentucky students with disabilities age 14-21, including post-secondary counseling, job exploration, workplace readiness, self-advocacy, and work-based learning experiences.
• CARES Center Student success center on the Prestonsburg campus offering coaching, advising, career preparedness resources, Handshake job platform access, and resume development support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduation Rate of 37.7% (All students) - exceeding SACSCOC threshold of 34.0%
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) at NISTcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 April 2026Dr. Davina Pruitt-Mentle, lead of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education at NIST, served as keynote speaker at East Kentucky Cyber Summit. Emphasized community-driven approaches to cybersecurity and teaching people to recognize threats targeting their specific industries.
• Kentucky Community & Technical College System (KCTCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBSCTC is one of 16 two-year colleges in the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. KCTCS is the largest provider of workforce training in Kentucky and provides system-level support including marketing, technology, financial aid processing, and policy governance.
• Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) - Regional Criminal JusticeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for EKU Regional Criminal Justice program allowing seamless transfer and pathway opportunities for BSCTC criminal justice students to complete bachelor's degrees.
• Education and Workforce Cabinet's Office of Vocational RehabilitationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for KCTCS Pre-ETS (Pre-Employment Transition Services) serving Kentucky students with disabilities age 14-21. Funded by Office for the Blind and Office of Vocational Rehabilitation with Federal Program Basic Support Funds 84.126A. Services include post-secondary counseling, job exploration, workplace readiness, self-advocacy, and work-based learning experiences.
• Highlands Regional Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical observation site for Respiratory Care program students. Students shadow respiratory therapists and observe cardiopulmonary care settings.
• Pikeville Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical observation site for Respiratory Care program students. Provides shadowing opportunities for students to observe respiratory therapy practice.
• ARH Our Lady of the WayminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical observation site for Respiratory Care program students at ARH medical facility.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hazard Community and Technical College: Another KCTCS two-year college serving rural Eastern Kentucky; offers the same mix of associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, Workforce Solutions, and dual credit at the same low tuition schedule as BSCTC, making it the closest comparable peer.
• Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College: KCTCS two-year college headquartered in Cumberland serving Appalachian Kentucky; shares the same KCTCS tuition, SACSCOC accreditation framework, workforce development mandate, and rural service-area economics as BSCTC.
• Ashland Community and Technical College: KCTCS two-year college in northeastern Kentucky offering associate degrees, technical programs, and Workforce Solutions under the same system-level tuition, accreditation, and apprenticeship infrastructure as BSCTC.
• Maysville Community and Technical College: KCTCS two-year institution operating across multiple campuses with the same tuition schedule, dual credit programs, and Workforce Solutions portfolio; directly comparable in program mix and funding model to BSCTC.
• Gateway Community and Technical College: KCTCS two-year college in northern Kentucky offering associate degrees and technical credentials under the shared KCTCS tuition and apprenticeship framework; similar size and program breadth to BSCTC.
• Elizabethtown Community and Technical College: KCTCS two-year college serving central Kentucky with a comparable mix of transfer and technical programs and the same KCTCS-TRAINS Workforce Solutions offerings as BSCTC.
• Owensboro Community and Technical College: KCTCS two-year college in western Kentucky operating under the same system-wide tuition, accreditation, dual credit, and apprenticeship architecture as BSCTC.

Broad incumbents

• Bluegrass Community and Technical College: The largest KCTCS two-year college, headquartered in Lexington; offers the same core associate/technical/diploma/certificate portfolio plus KCTCS-TRAINS but at substantially greater scale, serving as a broader-incumbent comparable within the same system.
• Jefferson Community and Technical College: The largest community college in Kentucky and a KCTCS system member, with a much broader program portfolio, larger enrollment, and urban Louisville service area; comparable in mission and funding model but materially larger in scale than BSCTC.

Regional players

• Eastern Kentucky University: Four-year public university in Richmond, Kentucky that competes with BSCTC for transfer-bound Eastern Kentucky students and partners with BSCTC on the Regional Criminal Justice pathway; comparable regional footprint but a different credential mix (baccalaureate and graduate).)

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BSCTC05
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BigSandyCTC1
• Facebookfacebook.com/BigSandyCTC
• Instagraminstagram.com/bsctc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

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 Big Sandy Community and Technical College