AURORA, Colo. — The Community College of Aurora (CCA) is thrilled to be recognized for delivering on its promise to make college a worthwhile investment for its students and for addressing critical workforce needs in the state of Colorado. The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce ranked CCA number two among Colorado community colleges in demonstrating its long-term value to students and its impact on the state’s economy.
The report ranks the return on investment (ROI) of the economic value of a degree from hundreds of colleges nationwide. CCA’s high ranking highlights its commitment to preparing graduates for the workforce in a variety of industries.
“Being ranked #2 in Colorado for return on investment is a testament to the transformative power of a CCA education,” said CCA President Dr. Mordecai Ian Brownlee. “At the Community College of Aurora, we are unwavering in our commitment to ensure every learner receives a high-value, workforce-relevant education that leads to real opportunity, lasting impact, and economic mobility. This ranking reflects not just our success—but the success of the communities we proudly serve.”
The report found CCA’s long-term ROI ranks higher than some of Colorado’s public four-year universities, emphasizing the potential impact of smaller class sizes, focused instruction, and a commitment to offering hands-on learning opportunities to students—especially in Career and Technical Education (CTE) fields.
After 10 years of completing a degree, CCA’s ROI for graduates takes the number two spot and maintains a strong position at number three after 20 years, underscoring how a CCA degree can impact someone’s social and economic mobility.
CCA offers 77 degree or certificate programs that align with its mission: to serve our diverse community by providing high-quality instruction and support services to prepare students for transfer and employment. In recent years, CCA has taken significant steps to ensure it offers meaningful programs by sunsetting degrees and certificates that no longer provided substantial value. This video explains how that process led to a more streamlined offering of programs.
The college’s impact is expanding to offer even more career support to its learners. The Center for Applied Science and Technology is set to open in the fall of 2025. The Center will house CCA’s CTE programs like Diesel Power Mechanics, Construction, STEM programs, and more, in a state-of-the-art facility that will provide hands-on support and instruction to students.
In addition, the college is expanding into Centennial with the Centennial Campus for Healthcare and First Responders. The facility will house CCA’s nursing program, EMT training, and other health-related programs.
Rounding out CCA’s three campuses is the Lowry Campus—home to the Department of Cinematic Arts. On each campus, and through top-notch instruction, CCA is Aurora’s higher education leader, operating as Colorado’s most diverse college.
For more information on what CCA has to offer, click HERE. To view the full report on ROI from Georgetown University’s Center on Education and the Workforce, click HERE.
About the Community College of Aurora:
The Community College of Aurora (CCA) provides high-quality instruction and student support services to Aurora 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 two (2) campuses, online, and through its high school concurrent-enrollment programs. For more information, visit www.ccaurora.edu.
Contact:
Courtney Butler
Director of Strategic Communications and Special Initiatives
Strategic Communications and Alumni Engagement
P: 303-340-7201 | E: [email protected]