Copper Mountain College

What Copper Mountain College does

Copper Mountain College is a public community college operating under the Copper Mountain Community College District in the California Community College system, headquartered in Joshua Tree, California. The institution traces its origins to a 1967 branch campus of College of the Desert and became an independent, WASC-accredited college in 2001; it is currently celebrating its 25th anniversary as an independent district. CMC serves the Morongo Basin region of Southern California, including Joshua Tree and Twentynine Palms, with a main campus at 6162 Rotary Way and a satellite military base office at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms serving active-duty personnel, veterans, and dependents.

The college's product portfolio centers on associate degrees, transfer pathways to four-year institutions, and career-technical certificates across health sciences (Registered Nursing, Vocational Nursing, Home Health Aide), public safety (Wildland Fire Academy, Fire Technology meeting FESHE standards, Criminal Justice, EMT), technology (Automotive Technology, Computer Information Systems, Graphic Design), and general education, supplemented by non-credit Community Education, ESL, GED preparation, and K-12 dual enrollment. Delivery channels include on-campus instruction, online courses, and the military base satellite, with the underlying technology stack consisting of the Ellucian Cloud student information platform, the MyCMC Portal for course management, and Follett-managed bookstore and National Student Clearinghouse transcript services.

Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a California community college: state apportionment tied to Full-Time Equivalent Students (FTES), student enrollment fees (largely waived under the California College Promise), local property tax revenue, and categorical grants. Published certificate program costs range from $1,746 (Associate Teacher/Child Development, 18 months) to $4,831 (Vocational Nursing, 21 months), with 85% of students receiving financial aid and 76% graduating debt-free; the institution has 29 scholarships accessible through a single application. CMC holds the maximum ACCJC accreditation term through 2034 and the 2026-2027 Military Friendly Schools designation, and has built a differentiated experiential-learning partnership with King of the Hammers and Ultra4Next in off-road automotive training.

Name

Copper Mountain College

Legal name

Copper Mountain College

Website

https://cmccd.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Copper Mountain College is a public community college in Joshua Tree, California serving the Morongo Basin region with associate degrees, transfer pathways, and career-technical certificates in nursing, fire technology, automotive technology, and other fields, delivered on-campus, online, and at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education / Community College

NAICS

Junior Colleges (611210), Junior Colleges (61121)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Community Colleges (EDAHADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE), Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Vocational training programs
• Nursing health sciences
• Career technical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Joshua Tree

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Copper Mountain College is a public community college that delivers associate degrees, career and technical certificates, and transfer preparation across nursing, automotive, fire technology, criminal justice, computer information systems, and general education. Programs are delivered through on-campus instruction at Joshua Tree, online courses, and on-base programming at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms for military-connected students.

Product overview

Copper Mountain College is a community college offering a unified educational services portfolio centered on associate degrees and career/technical certificates. The institution provides academic programs across health sciences (nursing, vocational nursing), public safety (wildland fire, criminal justice, fire technology), technology (automotive technology, computer information systems), and general education. Programs are delivered through traditional on-campus instruction, online courses, and military base locations, with recent partnerships expanding experiential learning opportunities in automotive technology through King of the Hammers racing events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wildland Fire Academy A career-focused training program preparing students for wildland firefighting and related emergency services positions.
• Nursing and Health Sciences Programs Healthcare career training programs including Registered Nursing (authorized by California Board of Registered Nursing) and Vocational Nursing (authorized by California BVNPT) leading to licensure.
• Automotive Technology Program Technical training program covering automotive repair, engine performance, transmission service, and alternative fuel vehicles, authorized by NATEF/ASE Education. Program cost $3,577 if completed within normal 18-month time.
• Fire Technology Program Fire science and technology training following National Fire Academy FESHE standards, accredited by CFSTES for State Board of Fire Technology Certification. Program cost $3,389 over 23 months.
• Computer Information Systems Programs in computer networking, programming, and information systems management, with program cost $3,342 over 22 months.
• Criminal Justice Program Academic program preparing students for careers in law enforcement, corrections, and security.
• Vocational Nursing Program Licensed vocational nursing program authorized by the California Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians. Program cost $4,831 over 21 months; meets California licensure requirements.
• Associate Teacher / Child Development Certificate Early childhood education certificate preparing students for teaching positions in childcare settings. Program cost $1,746 over 18 months.
• Online Courses Distance learning options allowing students to complete coursework remotely through MyCMC Portal and Ellucian cloud platform.
• Military Base Programs Educational services offered at MCAGCC Twentynine Palms (Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center) supporting active-duty military, veterans, and family members with flexible scheduling and priority registration.
• Community Education and Enrichment Non-credit educational offerings including GED preparation, ESL classes, and K-12 dual enrollment programs.
• Fighting Cacti Athletics Intercollegiate athletics program including basketball and other sports for enrolled students.
• Accounting Certificate Program 23-month accounting certificate program preparing students for accounting careers, with program cost of $3,295 if completed within normal time.
• Desert Studies Environmental and ecological studies program focused on desert ecosystems and conservation in the Morongo Basin region.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• King of the HammerscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Copper Mountain College partners with King of the Hammers, a major off-road racing event held in Johnson Valley near the college. CMC Auto Technology students operate the Lakebed Repair Station where they perform vehicle repairs for race teams, BLM rangers, event staff, and off-road enthusiasts. The partnership provides hands-on experience for students and is in its second year.
• Ultra4NextcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Ultra4Next is a nonprofit organization formed to support the college partnership with King of the Hammers and to grow the program nationally. The organization connects students with race teams, shops, and factories for hands-on training, internships, and mentorships. CMC is one of their community college partners.
• The Ranch (Dave Cole)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The Ranch is an off-roading compound in Johnson Valley owned by Dave Cole, co-founder of King of the Hammers. CMC Auto Club students regularly visit The Ranch to work on off-road vehicles and meet with representatives from the racing and automotive industries.
• FollettminorOthersFollett manages the campus bookstore providing textbooks, school supplies, snacks, apparel, and gifts.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• College of the Desert: CMC's former parent institution (separated 1999–2001); a public California community college serving the Coachella Valley with associate degrees, transfer pathways, and CTE programs—directly comparable in geography, mission, and program mix.
• Barstow College: Small rural public California community college adjacent to the Morongo Basin; offers associate degrees, vocational certificates, and serves a similar desert-region demographic with comparable online and workforce programs.
• Victor Valley College: Public California community college serving the High Desert region near CMC; comparable size, mission, and CTE/program offerings including public safety and health sciences.
• Cerro Coso Community College: Rural California community college serving the Owens Valley/Mojave region; similar small-district profile, online learning emphasis, and CTE offerings including fire/EMS aligned to remote-area workforce needs.
• Palo Verde College: Small rural California community college district; comparable to CMC in scale, rural California context, and reliance on state apportionment, with similar associate degree and CTE programs.
• Imperial Valley College: Public California community college serving a low-density, rural border region; similar student demographics, transfer/workforce mix, and bilingual program needs to CMC.
• Mt. San Jacinto College: Southern California community college with comparable rural/online enrollment footprint and CTE programs across nursing, public safety, and automotive technology—relevant on program mix rather than scale.
• Antelope Valley College: Public California community college serving a desert-inland region with strong aerospace/defense ties and military-connected students via Edwards AFB—close peer in mission and student mix, including K-12 dual enrollment.

Broad incumbents

• Saddleback College: Larger Southern California community college with similar automotive, nursing, fire, and online programs; relevant as an incumbent comparison on scale and program breadth rather than direct competition.
• Coastline College: California community college specialized in fully online and distance learning; not a direct competitor in the Morongo Basin but a structural incumbent shaping how CMC's online program competes for non-traditional students.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@coppermountaincollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/150696831488
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/copper-mountain-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/coppermountaincollegeofficial

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Copper Mountain College