It was 1965 when Anoka-Ramsey Community College enrolled its first students. Today, more than 240,000 students have attended courses on campus in Cambridge or Coon Rapids and online. The college strives to meet the needs of all students — from PSEO to adult learners and everyone in between — with short-term training/certificate programs, two-year programs and four-year degrees through transfer pathways and partnerships.
60 years of building brighter futures together
In 2025, Anoka-Ramsey Community College will celebrate its 60th anniversary. Six decades in, the college continues its work providing extraordinary, affordable and accessible education for students in Anoka and Isanti Counties and beyond.
The college has long-standing economic relationships with its surrounding communities. Along with its aligned college, Anoka Technical College, Anoka-Ramsey was responsible for $437.6 million in economic impact and 3,351 jobs, according to research commissioned in 2023 by Minnesota State. The college’s economic impact is multi-faceted. It connects employers to qualified job candidates, provides critical workforce training and, through student and employee spending, creates and sustains jobs.
Academic offerings at Anoka-Ramsey are fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. This is the same accrediting body for many public and private colleges and universities in several states across the country. All Anoka-Ramsey faculty have advanced degrees in their instructional fields and are held in high esteem across partnering institutions. The college also offers unique, rigorous undergraduate research opportunities.
Anoka-Ramsey Community College is a highly-regarded hub for cultural activities including reading series, theatrical performances, art exhibits and sales, chorale, concert and jazz band performances, and more. Civic and service-learning initiatives allow faculty and students to be active in the community by volunteering in local events and community programs. College clubs, intramural sports and intercollegiate athletics – including baseball, basketball, volleyball, soccer, fastpitch softball – rounds out a full complement of offerings.
