Eastern Arizona College

What Eastern Arizona College does

Eastern Arizona College (EAC) is a public community college founded in 1888 in Thatcher, Arizona, making it Arizona's first community college and one of the oldest in the United States. It is governed by the Graham County Community College District and operates as a publicly funded institution serving primarily the rural southeastern Arizona counties of Graham and Greenlee. EAC delivers 90+ academic programs including more than 60 associate degree tracks (AA, AS, AAS, ABUS), 35+ certificate programs, and an expanding portfolio of bachelor's degrees in nursing, health sciences, music education, and organizational leadership. The institution also enrolls high school students through dual enrollment, international students from 30+ countries, returning and adult learners, and Arizona residents aged 55 and older on a free-tuition basis.

The college runs a hybrid instructional platform combining on-campus instruction at the Thatcher campus with online learning delivered through Instructure's Canvas LMS and the MyEAC student portal. Specialized facilities include the 120-acre Discovery Park in Safford (a living science laboratory with access to Mt. Graham International Observatory and a Chiricahua Leopard Frog Ranarium), a state-of-the-art Fabrication Laboratory with CNC machines and 3D printers, and the only community college marching band in Arizona. Revenue is generated through in-state tuition ($98-147 per credit hour), out-of-state tuition ($398-447 per credit hour), Western Undergraduate Exchange pricing for 20 states/territories, Arizona state appropriations, philanthropic grants, auxiliary services (housing at $220/month, dining, facility rentals, athletics, performing arts), and partnerships (including a $20,000 grant from Freeport-McMoRan Foundation in January 2024 for the DreamBuilder entrepreneurship program).

EAC's positioning rests on cost (tuition running approximately 75% below Arizona universities, with most students graduating debt-free), small class sizes (half of classes have 10 or fewer students), and transfer outcomes (77.3% of transfer students earn a bachelor's within six years, 29 percentage points above the national average). The college holds HLC accreditation, ACEN nursing accreditation through Spring 2029, and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) federal designation. Its nursing program is ranked #1 in Arizona by registerednursing.org. University transfer partnerships span Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, Grand Canyon University, and the University of Arizona Mining Engineering program, supporting student progression to four-year credentials.

Name

Eastern Arizona College

Legal name

Graham County Community College District

Website

https://eac.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Eastern Arizona College (EAC) is Arizona's first public community college (founded 1888) serving rural Graham and Greenlee counties with 90+ programs including associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor's degrees. It emphasizes tuition roughly 75% below Arizona universities and small classes of ten or fewer students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Vocational training certificates
• Higher education services
• Online degree programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Thatcher

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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 Fees: Revenue from in-state and out-of-state tuition, course fees, and related educational charges. In-state tuition is $98-147 per credit hour; out-of-state ranges from $398-447 per credit hour. Additional fees apply for specific programs.
2. State Funding: Government funding from Arizona state allocations for community college operations and educational services
3. Grants and Donations: Philanthropic contributions from foundations and donors such as the Freeport-McMoRan Foundation $20,000 donation to support the DreamBuilder program at the Small Business Development Center
4. Community Services and Facilities: Revenue from campus facility rentals, Monster Catering services, Gila Hank's Cafe dining operations, EA Pool admissions, and Cosmetology salon services
5. Athletic Events and Performing Arts: Ticket sales and revenue from Fighting Gila Monsters athletic competitions and Fine Arts performances and events

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Eastern Arizona College (EAC) is a public community college founded in 1888 offering more than 90 academic programs, including 60+ associate degrees, 35+ certificate programs, and bachelor's degrees across nursing, health sciences, music education, and organizational leadership. The institution delivers instruction through on-campus instruction in Thatcher, AZ, plus online learning via Canvas LMS, with auxiliary offerings such as the Small Business Development Center and the 120-acre Discovery Park educational facility.

Product overview

Eastern Arizona College is Arizona's first community college offering 90+ academic programs including 60+ associate degrees and 35+ certificate programs spanning healthcare, business, applied technologies, fine arts, and liberal arts. The institution provides a platform architecture combining face-to-face instruction with Canvas LMS-powered online learning. Bachelor's degree offerings include BS in Health Sciences, BS in Music Education, BS in Nursing (RN to BSN launching Fall 2026), and BA in Organizational Leadership (launching Fall 2026). Student services include the MyEAC portal for registration and billing, academic support, career services, and the Small Business Development Center supporting local entrepreneurs through the DreamBuilder program.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Associate Degree Programs Two-year associate degree programs for students seeking career entry, transfer to four-year universities, or affordable credentials in fields such as nursing, business, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, and applied technologies.
• Certificate Programs Fast-track certificate programs that provide career-focused training in as little as one to four semesters across trades including automotive, welding, HVAC-R, cosmetology, CDL, and healthcare certifications.
• Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Four-year bachelor's degree for students pursuing leadership roles in healthcare. Field employment is projected to grow 28% nationwide.
• Bachelor of Science in Music Education Four-year degree equipping students to teach music in elementary and secondary schools, with instrumental, piano, and vocal emphasis and award-winning faculty.
• Online Learning Fully online certificates and degrees in fields including business, administration of justice, and applied computer science, delivered via Canvas LMS with Android and iOS mobile app availability.
• Small Business Development Center Free confidential counseling, training, and resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners in Graham and Greenlee counties, including the DreamBuilder entrepreneurship program.
• Discovery Park 120-acre off-campus multi-purpose educational and research facility in Safford, AZ, providing free community access, environmental education, Mt. Graham International Observatory access, wetland restorations, and a Chiricauhua Leopard Frog Ranarium.

Quantifiable outcome

• 77.3% of transfer students earn bachelor's degree within 6 years (29% higher than national average)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Arizona State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership enabling seamless transfer for EA students pursuing bachelor's degrees. Students can transfer with junior status after completing associate degrees at EA's affordable tuition rates.
• Northern Arizona UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership with NAU Bachelor of Social Work 75/45 Transfer Pathway for seamless transfer. Students can start at EA and transfer seamlessly to complete bachelor's degrees.
• Grand Canyon UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership enabling EA nursing students and other program students to start bachelor's degree programs while completing associate degrees at EA.
• University of Arizona Department of Mining & Geological EngineeringflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership offering University of Arizona Mining Engineering courses live online at EA campus. Students can complete two years at EA followed by two years at UofA Tucson campus to earn bachelor's in Mining Engineering. UofA's program is ranked in top three nationally.
• Gila Watershed PartnershipminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosting SEAYLS (Southeastern Arizona Youth Land Stewardship) program interns at Discovery Park for campus improvements, conservation work, and educational programming collaboration.
• Mt. Graham International ObservatorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEA students and community members have access to Mt. Graham International Observatory through Discovery Park programs, providing unique hands-on astronomy education and research opportunities.
• Arizona Teachers AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerScholarship program for students pursuing bachelor's in Music Education. ATA scholarship is renewable each semester for up to four semesters and applies after FAFSA and Pell Grant awards.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Northland Pioneer College: A rural Arizona public community college headquartered in Holbrook, AZ serving Navajo and Apache counties — the closest geographic and structural analog to EAC in terms of rural Arizona service area, associate/certificate mix, and small institution scale.
• Cochise College: A public Arizona community college with multiple campuses in southeastern Arizona offering associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor's pathways — sharing EAC's regional Arizona footprint, public funding model, and two-year-plus credentials portfolio.
• Arizona Western College: A public Arizona community college in Yuma offering associate degrees, certificates, and university transfer pathways — comparable to EAC as another rural/semi-rural Arizona community college serving a regional service area with workforce-focused programs.
• Central Arizona College: A public Arizona community college district headquartered in Coolidge, AZ serving Pinal County — another rural-to-suburban Arizona community college with similar associate, certificate, and university transfer offerings and comparable public funding structures.
• Yavapai College: A public Arizona community college headquartered in Prescott, AZ offering associate degrees, certificates, and bachelor's programs — a direct peer in the Arizona community college system with a comparable rural-region service area and program mix.
• Mohave Community College: A public Arizona community college based in Kingman serving Mohave County — comparable in scale, rural AZ geography, workforce/transfer program mix, and reliance on state appropriations.
• Coconino Community College: A public Arizona community college in Flagstaff serving Coconino County — a direct peer in the Arizona public community college system, sharing comparable program offerings, transfer pathways, and rural/small-city service characteristics.

Regional players

• Pima Community College: A larger multi-campus Arizona community college district headquartered in Tucson — operates in the same state system as EAC, but with greater urban concentration and scale; serves as a regional benchmark for community college operations in southern Arizona.

Broad incumbents

• Mesa Community College: A large Arizona community college in the Mesa area and part of the Maricopa County Community College District — a much larger urban broad incumbent in the same state system, offering overlapping community college programs but at substantially greater scale and broader program breadth.
• Arizona State University: Arizona's largest public university and a formal EAC transfer partner — functions as a broader incumbent in Arizona higher education and defines the upper end of the affordable bachelor-degree pathway that EAC feeds into.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/eacmonsters
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@easternarizona
• Facebookfacebook.com/219892484691963
• Instagraminstagram.com/easternarizonacollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/eastern-arizona-college

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Eastern Arizona College