Calhoun Community College

What Calhoun Community College does

Calhoun Community College is a public two-year community college operating under the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board of Trustees, with its primary Decatur Campus in Tanner, Alabama and a secondary Huntsville Campus. Founded in 1963 and self-reported as the largest 2-year institution in Alabama, Calhoun offers more than 150 academic, technical, and career-training programs delivered in-person, online, and hybrid across disciplines including business, fine arts, health sciences, humanities, mathematics, and technologies. The institution enrolls students across associate degree, certificate, adult education (GED, ESL, digital literacy), and short-form career training tracks, with average tuition positioned at roughly one-third the cost of a four-year institution.

The institution's core technology and training infrastructure centers on industry-aligned, hands-on laboratory equipment for manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, and skilled trades, supported by external credentialing through SpaceTEC (FAA-recognized aerospace technician certification), the National Coalition of Certification Centers, and Lincoln Electric Education Partner status. Four sponsor-funded collaborative education programs — FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education) AMT, EPIC, ACE (Aerospace Collaborative Education), and AMP (Alliance for Machining Professionals) — integrate classroom instruction with paid employer-sponsored work at companies including Lockheed Martin, Griffon Aerospace, Beyond Gravity, Intech Medical, MJ Precision, and Parker. Calhoun also operates a Cooperative Learning (Co-Op) program, registered apprenticeships in Industrial Maintenance Mechanic, Registered Nurse, and Industrial Manufacturing Technician, and 15 NJCAA athletic teams (the Warhawks) with approximately 250 student-athletes.

Calhoun's revenue model is government- and tuition-driven, funded through state appropriations, student tuition and fees (including a $194 per-semester Co-Op class fee), workforce development grants (including a $100,000 GE Aerospace Lifting Futures grant for lab equipment in 2026), and foundation donations managed through the Calhoun Foundation for scholarships such as Pathways to Progress and Presidential Transfer Scholarships. The college serves two primary customer segments: prospective students (recent high school graduates, adult learners, dual-enrollment high schoolers, and career changers in North Alabama) and regional employers in manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, and skilled trades who rely on the institution for workforce pipeline and customized training. Operational reach is concentrated in North Alabama, with online programs providing broader geographic optionality but no disclosed global footprint.

Name

Calhoun Community College

Legal name

Calhoun Community College

Website

https://calhoun.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Calhoun Community College is Alabama's largest two-year public community college, operating Decatur and Huntsville campuses with 150+ academic, technical, and career-training programs. It serves North Alabama students and regional employers in aerospace, manufacturing, healthcare, and skilled trades via cohort-based workforce pipelines.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Work-Based Learning Programs (Internships, Apprenticeships, Community-Based Instruction) (EDAKANAF)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Workforce development
• Career training
• Technical certifications
• Manufacturing training

Headquarters

HQ city

Tanner

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: Calhoun Community College generates revenue through student tuition and fees. Average tuition is approximately one-third the cost of a 4-year institution. Additional fees include Co-Op class fees of $194 per semester for work-based learning participants.
2. Workforce Development Grants: Calhoun receives grant funding for workforce training programs, including $100,000 from GE Aerospace's Lifting Futures program for lab equipment and simulator training at the Huntsville campus.
3. Foundation Donations: The Calhoun Foundation accepts donations and manages scholarships and grants for students, including the Pathways to Progress Grant, Presidential Transfer Scholarships, and various institutional scholarships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Calhoun Community College delivers associate degrees, technical certificates, and short-term career training in advanced manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, and skilled trades across two campuses in Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama. It supplements classroom instruction with work-based learning, registered apprenticeships, and industry-recognized credentialing. Programs are designed for both recent high school graduates and adult learners seeking to upskill or reskill for regional employers.

Product overview

Calhoun Community College is Alabama's largest 2-year institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational products and services centered around workforce development. The college operates as a single unified institution providing academic degree programs (over 150 programs), career training courses (spanning CDL, cybersecurity, healthcare, industrial trades, welding, and machining), and adult education services (GED, ESL, digital literacy). Key distinctive programs include collaborative work-based learning models: the ACE (Aerospace Collaborative Education), AMP (Alliance for Machining Professionals), FAME AMT, and EPIC programs that integrate classroom instruction with paid employment at employer sponsors. The college also offers registered apprenticeships in industrial maintenance, nursing, and manufacturing, plus cooperative learning (co-op) programs requiring minimum 20 hours/week work experience. Short-term certificates and industry certifications are available through programs like Welding Technology and Aerospace Technology, with some programs approved by organizations like National Coalition of Certification Centers, Lincoln Electric, and SpaceTEC. The institution serves North Alabama with campuses in Decatur and Huntsville, targeting students seeking direct career pathways in manufacturing, aerospace, healthcare, and technical trades.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Warhawks: Athletic teams mascot and brand identity for Calhoun Community College's 15 NJCAA athletic teams.

Products and services

• Associate Degree Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• $11,300 more per year for Calhoun graduates vs. high school diploma holders
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• GE AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 April 2026GE Aerospace selected Calhoun Community College's Huntsville campus for its Lifting Futures program, providing $100,000 for lab equipment and simulator training. GE Aerospace also announced a separate $55 million investment in production equipment at its Huntsville facility. The partnership supports advanced manufacturing workforce development with a goal of 10,000 skilled workers by 2030.
• Regional Healthcare Employers (Nursing Fair)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 March 2026Spring Nursing Fair with 25+ healthcare employers including Huntsville Hospital, Decatur Morgan Hospital, Children's of Alabama, and others, plus 10+ universities for transfer pathways.
• Regional Employers (Job Fair)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 February 2026Annual Spring Job Fair with over 40 employers including Boeing, Lockheed Martin, GE Appliances, General Dynamics Mission Systems, Teledyne Brown Engineering, and others recruiting Calhoun students and alumni.
• Lockheed MartincoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLockheed Martin sponsors the Aerospace Collaborative Education (ACE) program, providing students with paid work experience while pursuing an Associates of Applied Science degree in Aerospace Technology. Students attend classes two days per week and work three days per week for sponsor companies.
• Griffon AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGriffon Aerospace is an ACE program sponsor, providing paid work experience for aerospace technology students alongside classroom education.
• Beyond GravitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeyond Gravity is an ACE program sponsor, providing paid work experience for aerospace technology students alongside classroom education.
• Intech MedicalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIntech Medical sponsors the Alliance for Machining Professionals (AMP) program, providing paid machining work experience for machine tool technology students.
• MJ PrecisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMJ Precision sponsors the AMP program, providing paid machining work experience for machine tool technology students alongside advanced CNC curriculum.
• ParkercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParker sponsors the AMP program, providing paid machining work experience for machine tool technology students alongside advanced CNC curriculum.
• FAME (Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAME AMT (Advanced Manufacturing Technology) is a registered apprenticeship in Industrial Maintenance Mechanic. FAME, along with EPIC, AMP, and ACE programs, are application-based, cohort-based collaborative education programs integrating academic coursework with paid, industry-sponsored employment.
• Amazon Career ChoiceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAmazon Career Choice Program provides prepaid tuition for hourly Amazon employees to pursue education in high-demand fields, including programs at Calhoun Community College.
• SpaceTECcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpaceTEC administers internationally accredited technical certifications for aerospace technicians. Calhoun is a member institution providing students access to the only FAA-recognized, national, performance-based credential for the commercial space industry, accredited to ISO 17024.
• Carpenter TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCarpenter Technology provides Co-op learning opportunities for industrial controls students at Calhoun, offering hands-on work experience to complement academic studies.
• Redstone Federal Credit UnioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRedstone Federal Credit Union provides Co-op learning opportunities for business, accounting, and financial students, offering hands-on professional experience in a financial institution environment.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Drake State Community and Technical College: Another Alabama Community College System institution located in Huntsville, AL — the same aerospace/manufacturing labor market as Calhoun. Offers overlapping associate degree, technical, and workforce programs aimed at the same aerospace, advanced manufacturing, and healthcare employer base.
• Wallace State Community College: Large Alabama Community College System institution in Hanceville, AL offering a comparable mix of associate degrees, technical certifications, workforce training, and dual enrollment. Frequently cited alongside Calhoun among the largest Alabama two-year institutions.
• Gadsden State Community College: Alabama Community College System peer offering associate degrees, technical programs, and workforce development with notable industrial/manufacturing and healthcare employer engagement — directly comparable ACCS institution with similar CTE focus.
• Snead State Community College: Sister ACCS institution in Boaz, AL offering associate degrees and technical/workforce programs in similar disciplines, serving a comparable regional student population under the same state governance framework as Calhoun.
• Lawson State Community College: Alabama Community College System institution in Birmingham, AL offering associate degrees, technical training, and workforce programs with comparable CTE offerings including welding, manufacturing, and health sciences.
• Enterprise State Community College: Alabama Community College System institution offering associate degrees, technical certifications, and workforce development programs in a comparable regional model, including aviation and industrial technology tracks.
• Bishop State Community College: Alabama Community College System institution in Mobile offering associate degrees and career/technical programs including industrial technology, healthcare, and skilled trades under the same state governance structure.
• Coastal Alabama Community College: Alabama Community College System institution formed through recent consolidation of multiple campuses, offering associate degrees, technical, and workforce development programs comparable in scope to Calhoun's portfolio.

Regional players

• Athens State University: Public upper-division university in Athens, AL geographically adjacent to Calhoun and a common transfer destination for Calhoun students completing bachelor's degrees. Operates in the same North Alabama higher-education ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Ivy Tech Community College: Largest US community college system by enrollment and one of the most scaled two-year CTE/workforce providers in the country. Useful as a size and program-portfolio comparable for Calhoun's stated 'largest 2-year' positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calhouncollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/40190388729
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/calhoun-community-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Calhoun Community College