Sept. 30, 2026
AURORA, Colo. – The Community College of Aurora (CCA) has set a new all-time student enrollment record, with over 10,700 total students enrolled for the fall 2026 semester. This largest learner population in the college’s 43-year history will likely grow as registration for select courses remains open through late October. The milestone continues a period of enrollment growth following record-setting enrollment in spring 2026 and fall 2025.
Each successive semester of growth deepens our responsibility to deliver on the promise that brings students to CCA: an affordable, high-quality education that opens doors for them and their families,
said Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, president of CCA. Behind this record enrollment are people choosing to pursue a degree, preparing for a new career, or returning to a dream they once put on hold. Our faculty and staff make those possibilities real through their teaching, care, and commitment. We celebrate this milestone with our community while remaining focused on what comes next: helping students persist, graduate, and turn their education into lasting opportunity.
CCA leaders attribute the continued enrollment growth in part to administrative improvements that make the college experience clearer and more predictable for students.
Updated academic course maps provide a more accurate picture of the path to graduation while earlier course scheduling fosters a more stable class structure. Redesigned registration and records processes make graduation and transfers more seamless. These all allow students to better plan their courses around work, family, and other responsibilities. The impact of this work is visible not only in record-breaking enrollment, but also in improved graduation rates that have increased 24% in recent years.
Expanded financial aid options also make CCA a top choice for students. The CCA Foundation continues raising record-breaking scholarship funds through strong community partnerships and grant opportunities. Special incentives like the Momentum Scholarship, for example, have more than doubled the number of concurrent enrollment students since last year and provided free tuition to about 120 students this semester.
Financial aid application completion rates are also up. This fall, approximately 73% of students completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) compared with just 54% last year.
Historic enrollment is not simply about bringing more students through our doors. It reflects CCA’s commitment to seeing the whole student and responding to what our community needs,
said Clair Collins, CCA Vice President of Enrollment Success and Completion. We are removing financial barriers and helping more students recognize that college is within reach. At the same time, we are aligning our programs with the workforce needs of our region so that students earn credentials that lead to strong careers, greater economic mobility, and increased long-term earning potential for their families. That is what enrollment growth should mean for a community.
As enrollment grows, so do the services the college offers students. In 2026, the college opened the Wellness Den, Foxy’s Fitness Center, and the Fitzsimmons Credit Union Success Station. CCA’s work to strengthen student support has also received statewide and national recognition, including:
- Recognition as a 2026 Leader College by Achieving the Dream
- Colorado’s Basic Needs Campus Designation at the Comprehensive Tier
- The 2026 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award and 2026 Community College Higher Education Excellence and Distinction Award from Insight Into Academia.
As the college grows in student population and notoriety, CCA remains focused on what matters most: ensuring students not only access higher education, but succeed in it. With expanded campuses, workforce-aligned programs, targeted financial support, and wraparound student services, CCA is meeting a critical moment for Colorado’s economy and communities. This record-setting enrollment reflects growing trust in CCA as a college built to serve today’s learners and tomorrow’s workforce.
About the Community College of Aurora
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora, Centennial, and Denver, Colorado. With a vision to aspire to be a college where every student succeeds, CCA is the most diverse college in the State of Colorado. Focused on creating social and economic mobility for its students, the college offers courses on three campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
Contact
Courtney Butler
Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]