Northeast Alabama Community College
Northeast Alabama Community College (NACC), located at the Jackson-DeKalb county line near Rainsville, has celebrated some record enrollment numbers in 2025. This fall, NACC saw its highest enrollment to date with more than 3,500 for-credit students.
In the spring, the college also saw a record number of high-school students taking advantage of its popular dual-enrollment program, with nearly 1,600 students registered, and 1,800 dual-enrollment students registered for the fall 2025 semester. Most dual-enrollment courses at NACC are tuition-free and credits transfer easily to any public university in Alabama. Additionally, NACC provides loyalty scholarships for dual-enrollment students when they finish high school, offering $500 for completing 13-23 dual enrollment hours and $1,000 for completing 24 or more hours.Â
Beginning in January, NACC is adding two new health care programs — diagnostic medical sonography and medical laboratory technology.
The college also received a $3 million appropriation from the Alabama Legislature to implement services for rural health care in North Alabama, and part of the funding is being used to upgrade the school’s technology laboratory to house the two new programs.
Early this year, the college launched its Entrepreneurial Center in Rainsville, offering office space, mentors, workshops and funding opportunities.
NACC, in partnership with the town of Mentone, began offering courses at Mentone’s historic Moon Lake School last fall. Classes offered include creative writing, music appreciation, vocal ensemble and English 101.
NACC athletics continues to grow, and the school supports men’s and women’s golf, cross country and track, plus men’s soccer, women’s softball and esports. A new softball stadium and training facility opened in November 2024, and construction is underway for a new soccer field.
With 381 employees, NACC is one of DeKalb County’s top employers.
Snead State Community College
Snead State Community College is located on a 45-acre campus in Boaz and serves students in Marshall, DeKalb, Blount and Etowah counties and the surrounding areas. The school has 2,900 students enrolled and offers 11 associate in applied science degrees and certificate programs, including a new additive manufacturing program, that are designed to be fully completed at Snead State. The school also offers more than 60 associate in science degree programs for students who plan to go on to pursue a bachelor’s or higher degree.
In addition to its main campus in Boaz, Snead State also operates the Alabama Aviation College in Albertville, which offers degrees in airframe technology and power plant technology, and the Arab Instructional Site.
In September 2024, the college celebrated the opening of a Workforce and Career Institute. The 50,000-square-foot facility, located between Albertville and Guntersville, will offer skills training in industrial systems technology, HVAC/R, machine tool technology, welding and additive manufacturing. It also will offer short-term, non-credit workforce development opportunities.
Gadsden State Cherokee
In July, Gadsden State Community College held a special celebration in recognition of the school’s Cherokee Campus and the role it has played in the college’s 100-year legacy.
Gadsden State’s Cherokee Campus opened in 2002 in response to community and government efforts to address growing educational needs in the region. The 4,000-square-foot leased facility in Centre was Gadsden State’s first standalone instructional site in Cherokee County and offered evening classes in computer science, mathematics, biology and the humanities. In 2008, the Cherokee Campus relocated to its current 85,000-square-foot multi-level complex and expanded its course offerings for students pursuing an associate degree or looking to transfer to a four-year institution. The school offers associate degrees, university transfer pathways, a standalone Registered Nursing program and a variety of workforce and adult education programs.
The school’s 2+2 Poultry Science Program prepares students to work in the state’s most profitable agricultural industry. Students complete their core curriculum as well as an introductory agriculture class at Gadsden State Cherokee before transferring to Auburn University to complete a bachelor’s degree.
The Gadsden State Cherokee facility also houses some offices of the Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce and a 2,500-seat arena.
This article appears in the November 2025 issue of Business Alabama.
