Chief Dull Knife College

What Chief Dull Knife College does

Chief Dull Knife College (CDKC) is a tribally-controlled, nonprofit community college located on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana, founded in 1975 (originally as the Northern Cheyenne Indian Action Program) and renamed in 2001 to honor Chief Dull Knife (Chief Morning Star). The institution delivers higher education to Northern Cheyenne Reservation residents and surrounding Montana communities, offering Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate in Applied Science degree programs alongside shorter certificate programs (Behavioral Healthcare Aide, Bookkeeping, Cheyenne Language Instruction, Medical Coding, Office Assistant). Academic delivery uses Canvas LMS for course management and Jenzabar ERP for administrative systems, while the Dr. John Woodenlegs Memorial Library provides access to over 1,000,000 volumes via the OMNI consortium, online databases, and a Cheyenne Collection. Specialized facilities include sustainable straw bale construction buildings housing Adult Literacy programs, technology labs, daycare, and visiting lecturer space; interactive technology enables online pathways to advanced degrees at four-year institutions.

Revenue mechanics are predominantly tuition-driven at $70 per credit (e.g., $980 per semester for a standard 12-credit load) supplemented by federal Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal Work Study, Bureau of Indian Affairs Higher Education Grants, institutional scholarships (Dr. John Woodenlegs, Edwin Dahle Memorial, Steve Chestnut), and donations. The go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on direct enrollment through the college's admissions office and word-of-mouth across the tribal community, local schools, and tribal programs. Distribution is single-channel domestic: on-campus instruction in Lame Deer with supplementary online learning. CDKC is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is a member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) and the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC); credits transfer to all Montana University System institutions.

Name

Chief Dull Knife College

Legal name

Chief Dull Knife College

Website

https://cdkc.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Chief Dull Knife College is a tribally-controlled nonprofit community college on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana, offering associate degrees, certificate programs, and cultural curriculum to reservation residents and surrounding Montana communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tribal Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (61121), Junior Colleges (611210), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (61151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community/Tribal Two-Year Colleges (Associate Degree–Granting) (EDAHANAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Tribal Community Colleges (2-Year) (EDAHADAI)

Keywords

• Tribal community college
• Associate degree programs
• Certificate programs
• Higher education services
• Cultural curriculum

Headquarters

HQ city

Lame Deer

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: CDKC charges tuition based on credit hours at $70 per credit, plus activity fees, building fees, and computer fees. 12 credits totals $980 per semester.
2. Federal Financial Aid Administration: Administers Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Federal Work Study programs for eligible students. Federal School Code: 014878.
3. BIA Higher Education Grants: Administers Bureau of Indian Affairs Higher Education Grants for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes
4. Institutional Scholarships: Awards Dr. John Woodenlegs Scholarship ($500), Edwin Dahle Memorial Scholarship ($500), CDKC Student of the Year, and Steve Chestnut Scholarship (full tuition, books, fees)
5. Donations and Philanthropy: Accepts charitable contributions to support educational programs, resources, and scholarships for students

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Chief Dull Knife College is a tribally-controlled community college located on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Deer, Montana. It offers Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and Associate in Applied Science degrees, certificate programs, Cheyenne language and cultural studies, adult literacy, and online learning pathways. The college is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and serves as a transfer pathway to Montana University System institutions.

Product overview

Chief Dull Knife College is a tribally-controlled community college offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and student support services. The institution provides three types of associate degrees (Associate of Arts for transfer, Associate of Science for STEM transfer, and Associate in Applied Science for career preparation) plus certificate programs. Core academic programs span liberal arts, sciences, business, education, Cheyenne studies, and health professions. The college complements its academic offerings with support services including the Dr. John Woodenlegs Memorial Library (with access to over 1,000,000 books via OMNI consortium), student services (advising, tutoring, career planning), campus bookstore, and student life programs including athletics. All programs incorporate Northern Cheyenne cultural influences consistent with the college's mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Credits transfer to all Montana University System institutions and accredited colleges nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)coreOthersCDKC maintains membership in AIHEC, which supports tribal colleges across the United States. AIHEC provides advocacy, research, and collaborative opportunities for tribal colleges.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stone Child College: Tribal college on the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation in Montana, offering Associate of Arts, Associate of Science, and certificate programs. Comparable in size, region, and TCU operating model.
• Fort Peck Community College: Montana-based tribal community college serving the Fort Peck Indian Reservation. Offers Associate degrees, transfer pathways, and certificate programs with comparable AIHEC affiliation and student service model.
• Salish Kootenai College: Larger Montana tribal college on the Flathead Reservation offering Associate and Bachelor's degrees across a broader program catalog. Comparable on mission and cultural grounding, but materially larger in scale and program depth.
• Little Big Horn College: Tribal community college on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, also a two-year TCU offering Associate degrees and certificates to a single reservation community. Directly comparable as a geographically adjacent Montana TCU with similar scale, AIHEC affiliation, and cultural mission.
• Aaniiih Nakoda College: Tribal college on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation in Montana, offering Associate degrees and vocational certificates with similar cultural and community-driven mission. Closely comparable in size, scope, and federal funding profile.
• Blackfeet Community College: Tribal college on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana, delivering Associate degrees, vocational training, and culturally grounded curricula. Directly comparable in mission, scale, and reliance on federal funding.

Regional players

• Dull Knife (sic) — Chief Dull Knife College's direct namesake peer in Wyoming: Eastern Wyoming College is a public community college in the same region serving rural and Native students; comparable in two-year public mission but not tribally controlled, making it a regional rather than direct peer.
• Miles Community College: Montana public community college serving a rural eastern Montana population similar in economic and demographic profile to CDKC's catchment. Comparable on two-year mission and rural service area, but not tribally controlled.
• Dawson Community College: Montana public community college serving a rural eastern Montana population. Comparable in scale and rural mission, but lacks the tribally controlled structure and cultural mission that defines CDKC.

Others

• American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC): Consortium representing 35+ TCUs across the United States. CDKC is a member institution; AIHEC is not a competitor but an ecosystem enabler providing advocacy, capacity-building, and collaborative funding pathways that directly shape CDKC's operating environment.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/102830679752360
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chief-dull-knife-college

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Chief Dull Knife College