Public
Accredited · Higher Learning Commission
Lakewood, Colorado
Red Rocks Community College — Admission Snapshot 2026
A complete at-a-glance picture of every metric that matters for your 2026 application
$18,048Annual Cost
$46,288Grad Salary
19.3%Pell Grant
Selectivity
Open Enrollment
Institution Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission
SAT Middle 50%
-40–30
Avg Net Price
$9,356
Need-Based Aid
19.3% receive Pell
Red Rocks Community College serves Colorado's Front Range from its 140-acre Lakewood campus at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. Established in 1969, RRCC has grown into a comprehensive institution offering 100+ degree and certificate programs to over 10,000 students annually. The campus features the 100,000 sq ft Arvada Campus for health sciences, the Automotive Technology Center with manufacturer-certified labs, and the Outdoor Lab supporting environmental studies.
RRCC excels in career technical education with programs like emergency medicine (home to Colorado's first paramedic program), earth energy systems, and music business technology. The college's 'WorkReady U' initiative provides customized workforce training for employers like Lockheed Martin and St. Anthony Hospital. RRCC maintains strong transfer pathways to Colorado School of Mines and other universities through its 'Guaranteed Transfer' program. The college's 'First Year Experience' supports new students through learning communities and success coaching. RRCC's commitment to sustainability is evident in its solar array installations and LEED-certified buildings.
Red Rocks Community College Acceptance Rate
Red Rocks Community College runs an open-access admission policy — with a 100% acceptance rate, the focus is on getting qualified students in, not filtering them out.
What to Expect
- Eligibility First: A high school diploma or GED typically clears the main bar.
- Plan Ahead for Placement: Placement tests can shape which courses you start in — worth preparing for.
Selectivity at a Glance
Open Enrollment
Selectivity scale: Open Enrollment — rate not reported
Most Selective (0%)Open Enrollment (100%)
Slightly below-average GPA? A strong test score or clear leadership track record can still keep you competitive.
Source: IPEDS & College Scorecard (Nov 2025).
Red Rocks Community College Application Deadlines & Admission Dates 2026
Red Rocks Community College follows a Rolling Admissions policy, meaning applications are reviewed as they arrive and there is no single fixed deadline.
Key Admission Dates
Rolling Admissions — Apply Anytime
Red Rocks Community College reviews applications continuously throughout the year. Seats and scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so applying early gives you a significant advantage for both admission and financial aid.
Deadlines are verified from official institutional sources but may change each cycle. Always confirm final dates on the official website.
Check Your Admission Chances at Red Rocks Community College
Admission Chance Predictor
Real-Time Sensitive Analysis — based on Red Rocks Community College's verified institutional data
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Calculating Profile...
Adjust the sliders to see how every decimal point affects your outcome.
Your SAT Score 1200
Your Unweighted GPA 3.00
⚠️ Note: Predicting based on regional averages as this institution does not publicly report full score datasets.
Calculated via College Portal's Human-Intelligence (HI) Methodology & Editorial Standards. Verified by Sohaib Ahmad Khan.
Red Rocks Community College Test Requirements
Standardized scores still matter here: aim for the middle 50% range of the 2026 admitted class below, and if Red Rocks Community College is test-optional, a high score submitted voluntarily still helps with merit scholarships.
Can I Get Into Red Rocks Community College Without SAT or ACT?
Red Rocks Community College's test-score policy isn't published. As a default, submit your score only if it's at or above the state/national average — a below-average score can work against you.
Your 2026 Admissions Roadmap for Red Rocks Community College
Inclusive Strategy: Success & Transfer
Getting into Red Rocks Community College is the easy part — what matters next is using placement testing, advising, and available resources to set up a strong first year.
Understand EMS admission runs on two very different models depending on level
RRCC's entry-level EMT course is genuinely open enrollment, first-come-first-served, with space simply limited by section availability - but the Paramedicine track routes through a separate, competitive application (suggested submission by March 15, interviews in mid-March) administered in partnership with area hospital systems like St. Anthony's, not RRCC alone. Students should not assume that finishing the EMT certificate guarantees a Paramedic seat; the two levels use fundamentally different admission logic, and paramedic seats depend on partner hospital capacity as much as RRCC coursework.
Take the RRCC-recommended (non-required) biology sequence if you're paramedic-bound
RRCC's own Emergency Medical Technology degree guide flags that Biology 106 (Anatomy & Physiology) technically satisfies the degree's basic requirements but is non-transferable and not accepted by every paramedic program as a prerequisite - meaning students who take the minimum-requirement path can find themselves needing to retake transferable biology courses later. Students planning to apply to paramedic programs beyond RRCC should proactively take the transferable biology sequence the department recommends, even though it's not the bare minimum for the AAS degree itself.
Use the Bridge to Bachelor's Degree guarantee if your goal is a four-year transfer
Colorado's Bridge to Bachelor's Degree Program guarantees admission to a participating four-year Colorado institution for any first-time student at RRCC (or any of the 13 Colorado Community College System schools) who completes an Associate Degree - a real, systemwide guarantee rather than a soft recommendation. Students should confirm which four-year programs currently participate and what GPA or major-specific conditions apply to their intended transfer destination, since "guaranteed admission" under this program still depends on completing the associate degree with defined standards, not simply enrolling.
Factor in the CCCS-wide criminal background disqualification list before applying to health/EMS/fire programs
Colorado Community College System policy applies a specific, binding list of disqualifying criminal history categories - including certain misdemeanor theft in the prior 5 years and violent or sexual offenses in the prior 7 years - uniformly across Nursing, EMS, Fire Science, and Allied Health programs at RRCC. Students with any relevant history should review this list and consult directly with the program before investing time and money in prerequisite coursework, since this is a hard disqualifier applied system-wide, not a case-by-case departmental judgment call.
Expert Insight:
Because RRCC's general admission is genuinely open (100% acceptance), students sometimes extend that same assumption to every health and public-safety program on campus - but EMS, Fire Science, Nursing, and Allied Health all apply the same CCCS-wide criminal background disqualification standard and, in EMS's case, an entirely separate competitive Paramedic application layered on top of open EMT enrollment. Assuming uniform openness across every program is the most common way a student invests in prerequisite coursework before discovering a disqualifying condition or a competitive second-stage application.
Red Rocks Community College Profile
Full Name
Red Rocks Community College
City
Lakewood
State
Colorado
ZIP Code
80228-1255
Type
Public
Campus
Main Campus
Official Website
Accredited By
Higher Learning Commission (NCACHE)
Is a Red Rocks Community College Degree Worth It?
Whether Red Rocks Community College is worth it depends less on its reputation and more on your program choice, financial aid package, and career goals — here's the data to weigh it against.
The average household income among admitted students is $73,000, with a graduate unemployment rate of 2.6%.
How much does a degree from Red Rocks Community College Cost?
The sticker price is $18,048/year, but the average net price students actually pay — after Pell and federal grants — is closer to $9,356.
19.3% of students receive a Pell Grant and 11.6% take federal loans at Red Rocks Community College — file your FAFSA early and list Red Rocks Community College as a choice to be considered for both.
How much does a Red Rocks Community College Graduate earn?
Median earnings 10 years after enrollment (roughly 4–6 years post-graduation) are $46,288 — about 14% above the U.S. median graduate income.
Degree Programs at Red Rocks Community College
Bachelor Degree Programs
Masters Degree Programs
Associate Degree Programs
Frequently Asked Questions About Red Rocks Community College Admissions
Median earnings for Red Rocks Community College graduates sit around $46,288 a year.
At about $18,048 a year, Red Rocks Community College is on the more affordable end.
Red Rocks Community College's Pell Grant rate of 19.3% sits below the national average — merit-based aid is worth checking regardless of income.
Red Rocks Community College follows Rolling Admissions — applications are reviewed year-round, so applying early is your best strategy.
Yes — transfers are common. Have transcripts, recommendation letters, and a solid personal statement ready to make your case.
Strong academics, a focused extracurricular profile, and standout essays move the needle most — along with a competitive SAT/ACT score where relevant.
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