California College of Ayurveda

What California College of Ayurveda does

California College of Ayurveda (CCA) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit institution founded in 1995 and headquartered in Nevada City, California. It is recognized as the first state-approved Ayurvedic college in the United States and operates under California BPPE oversight. CCA delivers a tiered curriculum in Ayurvedic medicine, with the Practitioner of Ayurvedic Medicine (PAM, $6,500-$6,660), Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC, $14,250), Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist (CAS, $28,770), and Master of Ayurvedic Science (MAS, $36,070) programs, plus an Herbal Apprenticeship ($2,000) and a $50 application fee. The institution serves adult learners pursuing careers in holistic and integrative medicine, with ancillary reach into Spanish-speaking markets via the affiliated Escuela de Ayurveda de California.

The college generates revenue primarily through tuition, supplemented by the Aybo wellness application and the Shanti Shop retail operation. International exposure is anchored by a partnership with Vaidyaratnam in India, which supports clinical immersion programming. Following its 2024 acquisition by Hindu University of America (HUA), CCA is developing AI-driven tutoring and clinical documentation tools and has begun rolling out new offerings including a Spring Cleanse 21-Day program and a study-abroad immersion in India. The college's underlying technology stack is educational rather than product-software centric: the core asset is a regulated curriculum, faculty expertise, and clinical training infrastructure, with consumer software (Aybo) and AI tooling positioned as adjunct layers rather than the primary platform.

Name

California College of Ayurveda

Legal name

California College of Ayurveda

Website

https://ayurvedacollege.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

California College of Ayurveda, founded 1995 in Nevada City, CA, is the first U.S. state-approved Ayurvedic college, offering practitioner, counselor, and graduate-level programs serving adult learners pursuing careers in holistic medicine.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Medicine Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hindu Theological Colleges & Vedic Studies Institutes (EDAHAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Tribal Faith-Affiliated & Mission-Origin Colleges (Religious Affiliation/Heritage) (EDAHANAJ), Tribal Health Sciences & Allied Health Colleges (Nursing/Allied Health Focus) (EDAHANAF), Professional & Applied Skills Noncredit Certificates (Non-licensure) (EDAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Ayurvedic education
• Holistic health training
• Alternative medicine certification
• Clinical herbalism programs
• Integrative medicine courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Nevada City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Certification Programs: CCA generates primary revenue through tuition fees for certification programs including PAM ($6,500-$6,660), AHC ($14,250), CAS ($28,770), and MAS ($36,070). Programs include payment plans and scholarships.
2. Application Fees: One-time $50 application fee charged during the enrollment process.
3. Donations and Charitable Contributions: CCA accepts tax-deductible donations through Hindu University of America (501(c)(3)). Donations support scholarships, research, campus development, and community wellness programs.
4. Product Sales: Revenue from Shanti Shop (herbs, oils, spice blends, CCA Tea) and Aybo (Ayurvedic Botanicals) product lines sold through e-commerce.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

California College of Ayurveda (CCA) is a private nonprofit educational institution founded in 1995 that offers comprehensive training programs in Ayurvedic medicine, ranging from introductory health counselor certifications to advanced clinical specialist and master-level programs. It supplements its curriculum with a Teaching Herb Garden and a branded Ayurvedic consumer product line (AyBo) sold through the Shanti Shop, and was acquired by Hindu University of America in 2024.

Product overview

California College of Ayurveda operates as a multi-level educational institution offering a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of four progressive certification programs: Principles of Ayurvedic Medicine (PAM) as the foundational entry point, Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC) for professional wellness counseling, Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist (CAS) for advanced clinical medicine, and Medical Ayurvedic Specialist (MAS) as the highest clinical training level. These are supplemented by specialized programs for Medical Professionals, Nurses, and Pre-Med Students. The institution also offers a 9-month Herbal Apprenticeship with its own teaching garden, retail products through Aybo (Ayurvedic Botanicals) and Shanti Shop, on-demand video courses, workshops, clinical consultations, and immersion retreats. The portfolio is unified through CCA's Mentorship Model and delivered via campus-based, live online, and distance learning formats.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AyBo (Ayurvedic Botanicals): A product line of professional herbal products rooted in Ayurvedic wisdom, including digestion, elimination, mind, and immunity supplements.
• Shanti Shop

Products and services

• Professional Ayurvedic Massage Therapist (PAM) Foundational certification program for individuals seeking to practice Ayurvedic massage therapy. Designed for entry-level practitioners and wellness professionals seeking bodywork credentials.
• Ayurvedic Health Counselor (AHC) Foundational counselor-level program training students in Ayurvedic diet, lifestyle, and basic herbal protocols for client wellness. Aimed at aspiring holistic health practitioners.
• Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist (CAS) Advanced clinical training program for healthcare professionals seeking to integrate Ayurvedic protocols into clinical practice, including pathology assessment and herbal formulation.
• Master of Ayurvedic Science (MAS) Master's-level academic program providing the highest depth of Ayurvedic medical training, including research, advanced herbal pharmacology, and clinical internship. Aimed at senior practitioners and educators.
• AyBo Ayurvedic Product Line

Quantifiable outcome

• 681-2,921 hours of professional training depending on certification level
• +3 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Hindu University of America (HUA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024In 2024, CCA was acquired by Hindu University of America, a world-class not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to promoting traditional Indian systems of knowledge. The acquisition brought together the best of the West (CCA) with the best of the East (HUA), expanding Ayurvedic education and opportunities for graduates. CCA is now a division of HUA and all donations are processed through HUA's 501(c)(3) status (EIN: 59-3722764).
• Vaidyaratnam (Kerala, India)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCA partners with Vaidyaratnam in Kerala, India for its 15-day study abroad immersion program. This partnership provides students with in-depth Ayurvedic education at the source of traditional Ayurvedic medicine, including exposure to authentic practices and teachings.
• ORGANIC INDIAminorOthersORGANIC INDIA provides the medicinal garden space for CCA's Herbal Apprenticeship Program, where students work in the organic medicine garden for hands-on plant cultivation and herbal education.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre: Internationally focused yoga and Ayurveda training ashram. Comparable on wellness education but primarily retreat-based and less focused on credentialed professional Ayurvedic certification.

Direct peers

• Kerala Ayurveda Academy: US-based Ayurvedic school with graded certification programs (AHC, AP, PKT) and a Kerala, India parent affiliation. Competes head-to-head with CCA on professional Ayurvedic training and serves a similar healthcare professional audience.
• The Ayurvedic Institute: Founded in 1984 in Albuquerque, NM, this is one of the oldest Ayurvedic educational institutions in the US, offering comparable Foundations, Advanced, and internship programs. Directly competes with CCA for the same aspiring practitioner and healthcare professional segments.
• Mount Madonna Institute: California-based institute offering Ayurveda and Yoga programs with similar multi-level certification and clinical training. Comparable in mission and geographic catchment to CCA.

Emerging players

• Arsha Vidya Gurukulam: Indian-knowledge focused educational institution offering Sanskrit and Vedic studies programs. Relevant as a sister institution in the HUA-adjacent traditional Indian knowledge ecosystem that could compete for similar students.
• Escuela de Ayurveda de California: Spanish-language affiliate of CCA operating under the broader Ayurveda.edu ecosystem. Comparable as a direct CCA-affiliated provider serving Spanish-speaking students globally.

Broad incumbents

• National University of Health Sciences: Accredited university offering graduate programs in naturopathic, chiropractic, and integrative medicine. Comparable in serving healthcare professionals seeking integrative credentials, but at a much larger scale.
• Bastyr University: Regionally accredited institution offering naturopathic medicine and integrative health sciences. Competes with CCA for the healthcare professional seeking integrative medicine credentials, but at a broader and more conventional scope.
• Maryland University of Integrative Health: Accredited graduate school offering integrative health programs including Yoga Therapy, Nutrition, and Herbal Medicine. Overlaps with CCA's integrative-medicine-for-professionals segment.
• Pacific College of Health and Sciences: Larger accredited health sciences college offering acupuncture, massage, and holistic health programs. Targets similar wellness professional segments with broader program offerings and multiple campuses.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AyurvedaCollege
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CACollegeAyurveda
• Facebookfacebook.com/AyurvedaCollege
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-college-of-ayurveda
• Instagraminstagram.com/ayurvedacollege

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about California College of Ayurveda