Cuyamaca College

What Cuyamaca College does

Cuyamaca College is a public community college located in El Cajon, California, established in 1976 and operated under the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD). It offers 197 degree and certificate programs organized around eight Academic and Career Pathways, serving traditional college students, high school dual-enrollment students, online learners, international students, and the broader east San Diego County community. The college differentiates through its $46-per-unit tuition, the Grossmont-Cuyamaca College Promise (Two Years Free for eligible full-time students), the highest regional transfer admission rate to San Diego State University (SDSU), and recognized leadership in Career and Technical Education.

The college's operating technology stack consists of third-party platforms rather than proprietary systems: Canvas LMS for online coursework, a Self-Service student portal for administrative functions, and 25Live Pro for event and facility scheduling. Enrollment is conducted through the statewide OpenCCC Apply portal shared across all 116 California community colleges, and the college is implementing the Common Course Numbering system statewide for Fall 2025. Revenue derives primarily from per-unit tuition ($46/unit), state apportionment, local property tax allocations, and a growing facility rental program covering the 364-seat Ciccati Performing Arts Center, a 92-seat Digital Theatre, student center meeting spaces, and athletic facilities. Cuyamaca College is accredited by the ACCJC and is positioned as a low-cost on-ramp to a bachelor's degree for the east San Diego County region.

Name

Cuyamaca College

Legal name

Cuyamaca College

Website

https://cuyamaca.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Cuyamaca College is a public community college in El Cajon, California, offering 197 degree and certificate programs at $46/unit with the highest SDSU transfer rate among regional community colleges, serving east San Diego County students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Career technical education
• University transfer pathways
• Continuing education services

Headquarters

HQ city

El Cajon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Enrollment Fees: Students pay tuition at $46 per unit. The college generates revenue through enrollment fees from credit courses. Financial aid and the Promise program support student affordability.
2. Facilities Rental: Campus facilities including the Ciccati Performing Arts Center, digital theatre, student center spaces, classrooms, gym, and athletic fields are available for rental to community members and organizations with for-profit and non-profit rate structures.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cuyamaca College is a public community college delivering associate degrees, certificates, and transfer preparation across 197 programs organized into eight Academic and Career Pathways. Educational services are delivered through on-campus instruction at its El Cajon campus, fully online coursework via Canvas LMS, and dual enrollment for high school students, with structured transfer pipelines to San Diego State University (SDSU) and regional career technical education programs.

Product overview

Cuyamaca College is a community college offering a unified educational platform centered on its Academic and Career Pathways framework, with eight structured programs guiding students toward transfer and career success. The institution provides core educational services including the Library, Student Support Services, Canvas learning management system, and the Two-Year Promise tuition program. Physical facilities include the Samuel M. Ciccati Performing Arts Center (364-seat theatre and 92-seat digital theatre), Student Center meeting spaces, and athletic facilities (gym, fitness courts, fields). The college recently launched Common Course Numbering for Fall 2025 to improve transfer processes across the California community college system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academic and Career Pathways A structured educational program framework offering eight pathways that guide students toward seamless transfer opportunities and careers, encompassing associate degrees, certificates, and transfer preparation across diverse fields.
• Cuyamaca College Library

Quantifiable outcome

• Highest transfer admission rate to SDSU among regional community colleges
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD)coreOthersGCCCD is the governing district overseeing both Cuyamaca College and Grossmont College. The district provides administrative services including human resources, public safety, purchasing, and technology infrastructure shared between the two colleges.
• Grossmont CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister college within GCCCD district. Cuyamaca and Grossmont share district resources, academic coordination, and the Promise program for free tuition benefits. Students may cross-enroll between institutions.
• San Diego State University (SDSU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary transfer destination for Cuyamaca College students. Cuyamaca maintains the highest transfer admission rate to SDSU among regional community colleges, with structured pathways for degree completion.
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-level governing body for all 116 California Community Colleges. Oversees curriculum standards, common course numbering rollout, student complaint processes, and accreditation compliance across the system.
• Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional accrediting body for California Community Colleges. Cuyamaca College maintains accreditation through ACCJC, which standards ensure academic quality and federal financial aid eligibility.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mt. San Antonio College: Large California community college known for CTE leadership and transfer pathways; comparable to Cuyamaca in scale, program breadth, and workforce alignment, though serving a different regional market.
• Grossmont College: Sister community college within the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD); shares district resources, the Promise program, and cross-enrollment, and competes for East San Diego County students with overlapping Associate degree and transfer offerings.
• Palomar College: North San Diego County community college with a wide range of associate degrees, certificates, and transfer pathways; competes with Cuyamaca for transfer-oriented students in the broader San Diego region.
• MiraCosta College: Coastal North San Diego community college offering transfer, associate, and CTE programs that overlap directly with Cuyamaca's academic and career pathway catalog.
• San Diego Miramar College: Another San Diego Community College District college offering associate degrees, workforce training, and transfer pathways, including programs in technical fields that overlap with Cuyamaca's CTE catalog.
• Coastline College: Orange County-based California community college with a heavy focus on online learning; competes with Cuyamaca's Canvas-based online program for fully remote students across California.
• Southwestern College: Regional California community college serving the South Bay San Diego area with associate degrees, transfer preparation, and CTE programs; competes with Cuyamaca for similar transfer and CTE-bound students.
• San Diego Mesa College: San Diego Community College District institution offering associate degrees, transfer pathways, and CTE programs to a similar regional student population; competes with Cuyamaca for transfer-bound students in the San Diego market.

Regional players

• Imperial Valley College: Southern California community college serving Imperial County; offers similar associate, transfer, and CTE programs but in a geographically distinct catchment from Cuyamaca.

Broad incumbents

• San Diego State University (SDSU): Primary transfer destination for Cuyamaca students; broader four-year university whose admissions and articulation policies directly shape Cuyamaca's transfer value proposition and recruitment funnel.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cuyamacacollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/213958279852
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cuyamaca-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Cuyamaca College