Community College of Denver

Key Highlights

• Public college in the Colorado Community College System
• Institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission
• Founded through Colorado legislation in 1967
• Main location on Denver’s three-institution Auraria Campus

Student Life & Environment

Student life is centered primarily on the shared Auraria Campus. CCD students use major common facilities alongside students from Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver, including the Auraria Library, Tivoli Student Union, campus health services, and recreation resources. This arrangement provides access to a broader campus environment, although students remain members of CCD and should confirm eligibility for particular shared activities or services. CCD’s Student Programming, Activities and Resource Center coordinates leadership opportunities, events, student organizations, and community-building programs. Current organization listings include academic, cultural, civic, wellness, and interest-based groups, and students may ask the college about establishing a new organization. The Student Government Association represents student concerns in college decision-making and offers another route into campus leadership. Support extends beyond extracurricular participation. CCD advertises free mental-health counseling for enrolled students and operates the Swooper Market food pantry for students experiencing food insecurity. Academic and personal support resources are especially relevant at a commuter-oriented urban college, where students may be balancing classes with employment or family responsibilities. Prospective students should review current office hours and eligibility rules directly because services and organization rosters can change during the academic year.

Location & Surroundings

CCD’s main Auraria Campus occupies a central Denver location near downtown and the meeting point of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River. The campus is shared with two four-year universities, creating a dense higher-education setting rather than a self-contained residential community-college campus. Downtown cultural venues, government and business districts, sports facilities, and public spaces are nearby, giving students access to potential employment, internship, and cultural opportunities. Bus and light-rail connections serve the Auraria area, and CCD publishes campus maps showing transit access, parking, accessible parking, food vendors, and major buildings. Students should still compare commuting time and parking costs when planning a schedule, particularly if courses meet at more than one location. Not every program is based entirely at Auraria. The Advanced Manufacturing Center, roughly four miles from the main campus, houses welding and machine-technology instruction. The Center for Health Sciences at Lowry supports health programs in east Denver. Applicants should check each course and program location before making housing or transportation decisions. CCD does not present the experience as a conventional residential campus, so students seeking nearby accommodation should investigate availability, price, and affiliation independently.

Costs & Career Outcomes

CCD publishes tuition by credit hour rather than as one universal annual price. For 2026–2027, the official schedule lists standard online tuition of $301.85 per credit for eligible Colorado residents using the College Opportunity Fund stipend and $417.85 without that stipend; the listed nonresident online rate is $460.30 per credit. Program, technology, differential, and other fees can apply, with separate rates for areas such as nursing, dental hygiene, WUE participation, and certain course types. Rates are subject to change, so students should calculate costs from their residency, delivery format, credit load, and exact schedule. The college’s cost-of-attendance page explains that financial-aid budgets include estimated housing and food, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses in addition to tuition. These budgets are planning figures rather than bills or promises of sufficient aid. Eligible students can pursue federal and state aid and CCD scholarships, while F-1 students are warned that they do not qualify for federal financial aid or statewide scholarships. Applicants should use CCD’s net-price calculator and seek an individualized aid offer before comparing options. For career development, CCD provides workshops, networking opportunities, employer engagement, and work-based learning. Students can use Handshake to search for jobs, internships, and career events, while the Riipen platform connects coursework with employer projects. Transfer students can also use CCD’s published articulation pathways. These services create access to opportunities but do not establish guaranteed employment, transfer admission, earnings, or placement outcomes.