Central Lakes College

What Central Lakes College does

Central Lakes College (CLC) is a public two-year community college headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota, operating as a member institution of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MinnState) system. The college was founded in 1938 and operates two campuses - the main Brainerd Campus at 501 West College Drive and the Staples Campus at 1830 Airport Road - serving the central Minnesota region with associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and university-transfer pathways. Its core technology stack is built on D2L Brightspace for online course delivery, E-Services for student registration and records, and complementary platforms (Nelnet/FACTS for payment plans, BankMobile Disbursements for refunds, Transferology for credit evaluation, FASTChoice for private-loan comparison). A flagship product is the Z-Degree program, a zero-textbook-cost Associate of Arts pathway built on Open Educational Resources.

CLC serves five primary customer segments: traditional college students seeking associate degrees or vocational credentials, transfer students from other colleges, visiting students from other Minnesota State institutions (up to 22 credits), veterans using GI Bill benefits, and senior citizens (62+) enrolling at reduced rates. Its revenue model is tuition- and fee-driven, charging $188.02 per credit hour for both resident and non-resident students (with reciprocity agreements at the same rate), plus mandatory per-credit fees (technology $11.63, athletics $4.54, health services $2.00, student activity $5.91, parking $2.50, MSCSA $0.61), with payment plans available via Nelnet/FACTS. Distribution combines direct enrollment via the E-Services portal, on-campus instruction at two physical locations, the Consortium visiting-student channel, and the Workforce Solutions continuing-education arm. The CLC Foundation administers scholarships funded by donors. CLC is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and operates as a non-profit educational institution under Minnesota State Board governance; it does not have a traditional ownership structure, being funded through state appropriations, tuition, federal financial aid, and private donations.

Name

Central Lakes College

Legal name

Central Lakes College

Website

https://clcmn.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Central Lakes College is a public two-year community college in central Minnesota operating two campuses (Brainerd and Staples) under the Minnesota State system, delivering associate degrees, diplomas, certificates, and university-transfer pathways to regional traditional students, transfer students, veterans, and senior learners via D2L Brightspace and the E-Services portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community College Education

NAICS

Junior Colleges (6112), Junior Colleges (611210)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Community Colleges (Transfer + Workforce) (EDAHADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Technical Community Colleges (Applied/CTE-Focused) (EDAHADAD)

Keywords

• Community college education
• Associate degree programs
• Career technical training
• Online learning programs
• Workforce development services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brainerd

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: Revenue generated from student tuition per credit hour and various mandatory fees including technology, athletics, health services, student activities, parking, and MSCSA fees.
2. Scholarship Administration: The CLC Foundation manages scholarship funds from donors, releasing scholarship payments to enrolled students (minimum 1 credit) in the term funds are received.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Central Lakes College is a two-year public community college offering Associate of Arts, Associate of Science degrees, diplomas, and certificates across liberal arts, career/technical fields, healthcare (including nursing), and specialized trades such as Meat Cutting & Butchery, Marine and Powersports, and Heavy Equipment Operations. The college delivers instruction through on-campus classrooms at Brainerd and Staples, Minnesota, through online courses via D2L Brightspace, and through Workforce Solutions continuing education. A signature Z-Degree pathway provides a zero-textbook-cost Associate of Arts using Open Educational Resources.

Product overview

Central Lakes College is a two-year community college offering associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates. The institution provides a Z-Degree program as a notable offering — a zero-textbook-cost pathway to an Associate of Arts degree using Open Educational Resources (OER). Students access courses through D2L Brightspace learning management system and manage registration, grades, and finances through the E-Services student portal. Programs span liberal arts, career/technical education, nursing, and workforce development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Z-Degree (Zero Textbook Cost Associate of Arts) Associate of Arts degree pathway in which all required course materials are provided at no cost through Open Educational Resources, eliminating textbook expenses for enrolled students.
• Associate Degree Programs (AA and AS) Two-year Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree programs in liberal arts and transfer-oriented disciplines for students preparing for transfer to four-year universities or entering the workforce.
• Career and Technical Education Diplomas and Certificates Diploma and certificate programs in technical and trade fields including Practical Nursing, Meat Cutting & Butchery, Marine and Powersports, Heavy Equipment Operations, manufacturing, agriculture, and other skilled trades for students seeking direct workforce entry.
• Workforce Solutions (Continuing Education and Customized Training) Continuing education, professional development, and customized corporate training programs delivered to adult learners, incumbent workers, and employer partners in central Minnesota.
• College Credit in High School (CIS/PSEO) Dual-enrollment programs (Postsecondary Enrollment Options and College in the Schools) that allow high school students to earn college credit applicable to a CLC degree while still in high school.
• CLC Foundation Scholarships Donor-funded scholarship awards administered by the CLC Foundation and released to enrolled students carrying a minimum of one credit in the term funds are received.

Quantifiable outcome

• Z-Degree program offers zero textbook costs through Open Educational Resources
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MNSCU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral Lakes College is a member institution of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. MNSCU provides centralized admissions systems (E-Services), financial aid processing infrastructure, shared academic policies, transfer pathways, and system-wide marketing resources. CLC adheres to Minnesota State Board Policies and Procedures.
• BankMobile DisbursementsminorOthersBankMobile Disbursements provides refund delivery services for CLC students, delivering financial aid refunds and serving as the college's official school ID card provider (MyCLCPlus Card). The partnership enables students to select refund preferences and receive payments efficiently.
• Nelnet (FACTS Payment Plan)minorOthersNelnet Campus Commerce provides the official payment plan option for CLC students, offering budget payment plans for educational expenses. The Nelnet/FACTS payment plan is the recognized CLC official payment plan with no interest, finance charges, or credit checks.
• Confidence Learning CenterminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOff-campus work study employer offering positions in camp operations including lifeguarding, marketing, program leadership, youth development, and general maintenance. Located at 1620 Mary Fawcett Memorial Dr., East Gull Lake, MN.
• Boys and Girls Clubs of Central MinnesotaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOff-campus work study employer providing youth development professional positions. Locations include 101 9th St SE, Little Falls, MN and 509 Broadway W, Little Falls, MN. Students work 25 hours per week providing positive youth development programming.
• Minnesota Higher Education Services Office (MHESO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency providing resources including Minnesota college cost information, up-to-date higher education updates, and interactive financial aid estimator. Students are directed to MHESO for state-specific financial aid guidance and college cost comparison tools.
• U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights DivisioncoreOthersADA Requirements for Testing Accommodations provides technical assistance on testing accommodations for individuals with disabilities. CLC Accessibility Services follows ADA guidelines for providing equitable access to educational programs and standardized testing.

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Alexandria Technical & Community College: Minnesota State technical and community college serving a similar rural Minnesota market with comparable CTE-heavy program mix and transfer pathways; closely matched peer in scale and scope.
• M State (Minnesota State Community and Technical College): Minnesota State community and technical college with similar associate, diploma, and CTE programs statewide; directly comparable on institutional model, system membership, and student pricing.
• Ridgewater College: Minnesota State community college with comparable rural service area, dual-campus footprint, and CTE/transfer mix; overlapping program catalog and pricing models.
• Anoka-Ramsey Community College: Minnesota State two-year community college with similar program mix (AA, AS, CTE) and system-wide tuition/transfer infrastructure; comparable on student-facing pricing and credit structure.
• Northland Community & Technical College: Fellow Minnesota State system community college serving a similar rural/minnesota-north demographic with associate degrees, technical programs, and transfer pathways; directly comparable on funding model, tuition structure, and student segments.
• Hennepin Technical College: Minnesota State technical college emphasizing career and technical education with associate degrees and certificates; overlapping focus on CTE that competes for similar student intent.
• Saint Cloud Technical & Community College: Minnesota State technical and community college offering associate degrees, diplomas, and certificates across CTE and transfer tracks; closely comparable institutional structure and student pricing.
• Lake Superior College: Another Minnesota State two-year community college offering associate degrees and CTE tracks; directly comparable on system affiliation, pricing tiers, and rural service geography.

Broad incumbents

• St. Cloud State University: Minnesota State system university serving central Minnesota; primary transfer destination for CLC students competing for the same regional student pipeline at a higher credential level.
• Minnesota State University, Mankato: Four-year Minnesota State system university; competes indirectly with CLC for transfer-bound students and overlap exists in transfer pathway destination market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/clcmnedu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/centrallakescollege
• Facebookfacebook.com/99058682712
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/central-lakes-college
• Instagraminstagram.com/centrallakescollege

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Central Lakes College