Gadsden State Community College

What Gadsden State Community College does

Gadsden State Community College is a public two-year institution operating as part of the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), serving more than 5,000 students across five campuses in Northeast Alabama: East Broad Campus (Gadsden, the main campus), Wallace Drive Campus (Gadsden), Valley Street Campus (Gadsden, designated as an HBCU since 1997), Ayers Campus (Anniston), and Gadsden State Cherokee (Centre). Founded in its current form through a 1985 merger of Alabama Technical College, Gadsden State Technical Institute, and Gadsden State Junior College — and tracing its roots to the 1960 Gadsden Vocational Trade School — the college delivers associate degrees, certificates, and workforce credentials at $192 per credit hour in-state tuition, marketed as 55% more affordable than Alabama public universities per ACHE data.

The college's program portfolio spans four core divisions: Academics (transfer-oriented arts and sciences), Health Sciences (nursing, surgical technology, radiography, medical assisting, EMS, sonography), Technical Programs (welding, automotive, machining, industrial automation, mechatronics, FAME advanced manufacturing), and Skills Training/Continuing Education (CNA, truck driving, phlebotomy, fiber connectivity, electric vehicle infrastructure, GED prep). An 18:1 student-to-faculty ratio supports personalized instruction across 70+ programs completable within two years. Supporting services include federally funded TRIO programs (Student Support Services, Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search, Educational Opportunity Center), the Advising and Retention Center, Cardinal Tutoring Center, financial aid, dual-enrollment partnerships with area high schools, and Title III HBCU-funded programs at Valley Street Campus.

Revenue is generated through three primary streams: tuition and fees, federal and state financial aid grants (notably Pell), and Title III HBCU program funding. The college's distribution is direct-to-consumer via campus-based instruction and a supplemental online/distance-learning channel. Its go-to-market relies on community outreach, preview days, Cardinal Commit orientation, dual-enrollment recruitment, and TRIO program outreach across a twelve-county veteran-services footprint. The college is governed by the ACCS Board of Trustees and operates without private ownership, venture capital, or external equity funding.

Name

Gadsden State Community College

Legal name

Gadsden State Community College

Website

https://gadsdenstate.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gadsden State Community College is a public two-year institution in the Alabama Community College System, serving 5,000+ students across five Northeast Alabama campuses with associate degrees, health sciences, technical, and workforce training programs at $192/credit hour in-state tuition.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (611210), 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), Multi-Campus Community College Districts (EDAHADAM), Transfer/University-Parallel Community Colleges (EDAHADAF), Junior Colleges (Associate-Degree Granting) (EDAHADAC), Dual Enrollment / Early College Programs (via Community Colleges) (EDAHADAH)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Workforce training programs
• Health sciences education
• Technical career training
• Adult education services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gadsden

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Tuition-based revenue from in-state and out-of-state students. In-state tuition is $192 per credit hour. Additional fees apply for specific programs and services.
2. Federal and State Grants: Federal Pell Grants, state financial aid, and other grant programs that support student enrollment and offset tuition costs.
3. Title III HBCU Program Funding: Federal Title III program funding specifically for the Valley Street Campus, designated as an HBCU, supporting student support services, technology integration, and physical facility improvements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gadsden State Community College is a public two-year college delivering associate degrees, certificates, and short-term credentials across academic transfer, health sciences, technical/trade, and continuing/adult education programs. It serves 5,000+ students through five campuses, supported by TRIO student services, financial aid, testing, advising, and a federal HBCU designation at its Valley Street Campus.

Product overview

Gadsden State Community College is a multi-campus community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and student services. The institution operates as a single unified college with five distinct campuses (Ayers Campus in Anniston, East Broad Campus, Wallace Drive Campus, Valley Street Campus, and Gadsden State Cherokee) providing academic, health sciences, technical, and continuing education programs. The core academic offerings include transfer-oriented associate degrees and certificates, healthcare career programs (nursing, surgical technology, radiography, and related health sciences), and technical/workforce programs (automotive, welding, machining, industrial automation). Supporting these programs are student services including TRIO support programs, testing services, tutoring, academic advising, and financial aid. The college serves over 5,000 students with a student-to-teacher ratio of 18:1 and offers 70+ programs designed to be completed in two years or less.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Academics (Transfer Programs) General education and transfer programs offering associate degrees and certificates in arts, sciences, and humanities for students planning to transfer to four-year universities.
• Health Sciences Programs Healthcare-focused programs preparing students for clinical careers, including Nursing (Traditional, Mobility, Practical), Surgical Technology, Radiography, Medical Assistant Technology, Medical Laboratory Technician, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and Emergency Medical Services.
• Technical Programs Workforce-oriented technical programs covering Air Conditioning and Refrigeration, Automotive Service Technology, Civil Engineering, Construction Technology, Electrical Technology, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Automation, Mechatronics/Robotics, Precision Machining, Welding Technology, and FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education).
• Skills Training Short-term, non-degree workforce training programs including Certified Nursing Assistant, Truck Driving, Phlebotomy Training, Medication Assistant, and infrastructure training (fiber connectivity and electric vehicle).
• Continuing Education Non-credit courses and professional development offerings for community members seeking skill updates or career advancement without pursuing a full degree.
• Adult Education Services GED preparation, adult literacy, and workforce readiness programs to help adults earn high school equivalency credentials and improve employment prospects.
• Dual Enrollment Program allowing high school students in grades 6-12 to earn college credits simultaneously while completing secondary education, providing an accelerated pathway to higher education through partnerships with area high schools.
• TRIO Programs Federally funded educational support programs including Student Support Services (SSS), Upward Bound, Veterans Upward Bound (VUB), Talent Search, and Educational Opportunity Center designed to improve college access for first-generation, low-income, students with disabilities, and veteran students.
• Testing Services Administers ACCUPLACER placement tests, ACT On-Campus (Residual) testing for health science applicants, ACT WorkKeys assessments, ASE certification tests, and Pearson VUE exams including Alabama Real Estate and GED testing.
• Cardinal Tutoring Center Academic tutoring services providing free peer tutoring to help Gadsden State students succeed in their coursework across various subjects.
• Advising and Retention Center (ARC) Academic advising, retention support, transfer guidance, and scholarship information services to help students complete their educational goals and transition to four-year institutions.
• Financial Aid Services Federal Pell Grants, work-study opportunities, academic and technical scholarships, Cardinal Promise scholarships, and Chamber BOGO Scholarship to help students finance their education.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55% cost savings compared to Alabama public universities
• +2 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

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValley Street Campus, designated as an HBCU since 1997, maintains partnership with Thurgood Marshall College Fund providing HBCU-specific scholarships including the Sallie Mae Fund Completing the Dream Gap Scholarship and open HBCU scholarships for eligible students.
• Alabama Community College System (ACCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGadsden State is part of the Alabama Community College System, a statewide network of public two-year colleges governed by the ACCS Board of Trustees. This provides institutional oversight, shared resources, and alignment with state workforce development priorities.
• FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGadsden State's FAME program provides advanced manufacturing education through industry partnership, combining technical training with workplace experience. The program includes NC3 (National Center for Construction Education and Research) certifications and signing day events.
• Alabama Historical CommissionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn November 2024, the Eugene N. Prater Administration Building at Valley Street Campus was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage, recognizing the historical significance of the HBCU's founding and legacy.
• Veterans AdministrationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans Upward Bound program connects eligible veterans with the Veterans Administration and local agencies specializing in veteran services, providing educational benefits information and career planning support.
• Alabama Work-Based Learning SummitminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAnnual statewide workforce development event where Gadsden State participates alongside other Alabama colleges and employers to strengthen work-based learning connections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tuskegee University: Nearby Alabama HBCU offering four-year degrees with overlapping health sciences and STEM programs; comparable HBCU heritage and federal HBCU funding access in the same regional market.
• Jacksonville State University: Regional public four-year university to which Gadsden State transfers many students; comparable North Alabama service area and overlapping academic transfer pathways.

Direct peers

• Calhoun Community College: Another large Alabama Community College System two-year college serving a similar North Alabama workforce-development mission with comparable associate-degree, technical, and healthcare programs and ACCS-aligned funding.
• Central Alabama Community College: ACCS system peer with similar associate-degree, technical, and workforce-development programs serving a comparable rural-Alabama service population.
• Coastal Alabama Community College: ACCS system peer offering comparable associate degrees, health sciences, and technical programs; serves as a benchmark for multi-campus community college operations within the same state system.
• Wallace State Community College: Sibling ACCS community college in North Alabama offering similar health sciences, technical, and transfer programs with comparable tuition structure and student demographics.
• Snead State Community College: Smaller ACCS community college serving rural Northeast Alabama with overlapping associate-degree, technical, and dual-enrollment offerings and shared system governance.
• Southern Union State Community College: ACCS system peer operating multi-campus community college programs in East Alabama with comparable technical, health sciences, and academic transfer offerings.
• Northeast Alabama Community College: Adjacent ACCS community college serving a similar Northeast Alabama footprint with comparable workforce, health-science, and transfer programs under the same state system.
• Jefferson State Community College: Alabama Community College System peer operating four campuses in the Birmingham metro area with comparable academic transfer, health sciences, and technical program portfolios.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gadsdenstate
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/GadsdenStateCommunityCollegeCardinals
• Facebookfacebook.com/111953661010
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gadsden-state-community-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/gadsdenstatecommunitycollege

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Gadsden State Community College